Shrouded Origins
by See ya 22
Summary: I was just a normal sixteen year old girl. I never expected to get involved in an alien war, or to find out that the secrets of my origins were far more intertwined with the beginning of their history than I thought possible. Faced with one revelation after another, how can I cope in the face of the truth of what I really am? SS/OC/SS
1. Chapter 1

So I've found a beta and I plan on having every chapter edited! Thanks to DawnofShadow256 for betaing, as well as Moonlightdeer for helping with that and being my co-writer/collab partner! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

Each person you pass by on the sidewalk has a name. No matter how ordinary they may be, every one of them has a personality, a family, and a home. I'm one of those people. Even at sixteen years old I'm not the most normal person you've ever walked by. Sure I have long black hair that reaches my thighs and dark blue eyes, nothing weird there. However, having a strange blue tattoo that covers the entire left side of my body is. You know, just a little bit. I'm not even sure where it came from or how it got there. It would be impossible for me to ask my real parents, Albert Witwicky and some lady _**'or as I know her, she-who-shall-not-be-named'**_, because they abandoned me at birth. Luckily for me my Aunt Judy and Uncle Ron were there to take me in.

Most people would have some sort of issue from being left at a doorstep as a baby, but me? Well it just solidifies the fact that certain people are going to screw you over so you have to know who you can really trust. _**"Make good people choices!"**_ is what my Aunt Judy says, and why not listen to a woman who threatens you with a baseball bat? Now that we're past that, onward!

My cousin Sam and I live in a town called Tranquility. I'm sure you've never heard of it but it's in Nevada. It's also where, surprise, surprise, we go to our crappy high school. It sucks big time because everyone there is either a douchebag like Trent Demarco, or a stuck up bitch. Either way I don't really talk to anyone; I try to keep all the hormones as far away from me as possible. My cousin Sam however... he's a total tool. He's always trying to be someone that he's not to make friends or, more importantly, impress a girl named Mikeala Banes.

So far he hasn't been that successful; I'm not even sure if Mikeala knows he's alive. Which I find kind of hilarious but hey! I have an amazing sense of humor! Sam will deny it saying that I'm a she devil, but he's just jealous that people actually try to talk to me. The sad, sad truth of his poor, little, adolescent life, but I love him anyways… even if he is a loser.

Anyways, today is a huge day! Sam and I are going to get our first car! Man I'm so freaking excited that we don't have to ride the bus to school anymore! I'm practically bouncing in my seat! The deal was that if we both got good grades this year that Uncle Ron would buy us a car.

My Aunt and Uncle never had to worry about my grades because I'm a genius, literally. I've never gotten anything below an A+ in any class ever. It's kind of weird if you think about it, but school is way too easy for me. I swear I could read an entire thousand-page book and memorize each word. Sam likes to joke and call me a human dictionary but I can't help it. But anyways, at the moment we were both on our way to find our car with Uncle Ron.

"Are you two excited about getting your first car?" Ron asked, looking at us through his mirror with a large smile on his face.

"Yup! But I think that Sammy here will crash it if you let him drive." I joked, earning a glare from my cousin. I elbowed him lightly in the arm, or at least I thought it was lightly, but he cringed and scooted farther over in his seat. Pansy.

"Stop being such a brat Clare." He muttered.

I shrugged kicking at the passenger seat distractedly. "What kind of car are we going to get Sam? No Porsches either!" I don't know why; I like the brand but I never wanted to own one as my first car. It's probably because Sam and I are going to share it and I expect him to total it at least once or twice.

Sam pouted at me. "Why not a Porsche? If I get one of those Mikeala will definitely talk to me!"

"Not on your life..." I muttered under my breath as we pulled into a lot. When I looked up my eyes widened in surprise as junk car after junk car passed by us. "Where did you take us Uncle Ron?" I twisted around in my seat looking for the name of the dealership, catching site of a big, worn down sign that read **'Uncle Bobby B's: used car lot'**. With a sigh I slumped back in the seat, waiting for Uncle Ron to finish parking the car. I glanced towards Sam who was gaping like one of those fish that you see in those giant ass aquarium tanks. "Might as well get this over with Sam." I said as I stretched and got out of the car.

Sam followed and together we went to look over different rusted pieces of crap cars while Uncle Ron talked to the owner.

I wandered away from Sam, perusing the different rustbuckets when I suddenly jolted as a strange... almost static shock hit me. I tried shaking it off but it seemed to pull at me, feet carrying me to the furthest corner of the lot where an old yellow Camaro with black racing stripes sat. "What are you doing in this crap hole?" I whispered to the vehicle. It definitely seemed out of place here next to all these junkers. I walked around it, inspecting it carefully. No rust, though the paint was a little faded but that could be fixed easily enough. I popped the hood and took a look at the engine underneath which was unlike anything I had ever seen before... maybe it was custom built? Trust me I would know, I spent a summer in a car garage. Don't ask why. Either way it was in really good shape! Letting the hood fall, I turned and looked for Sam to find him standing not too far off with Uncle Ron and some other guy looking at what appeared to be a shitty Dodge Neon. Ewww!

"Hey Sam! Come check this out!" I shouted across the lot at him.

He came jogging over, looking sick to his stomach. "Did you see that car dad was trying to make me get?" He blanched and shuddered.

"Well let's try to get him to buy this one instead." I grinned and patted the hood of the old Camaro. I held in a started jump as I felt another small swell of the energy like before. During the time that Sam and I were talking Uncle Ron and the man from earlier had walked over to stand next to us.

"Strange... I don't remember this car being here." The strange man said quietly. Oddly enough, he reminded me of some male stripper in a dress shirt and pants. Aww man bad images! I'm going to have to bleach my brain.

"An old Camaro. Nice." Uncle Ron said before turning to the stri –ahem- gentleman. "How much?"

"Considering the make and paint job..."

"The faded paint job that we have to fix?" I deadpanned loudly, earning myself a glare from the salesman.

"It's still a custom paint job girly. Five grand." He quipped.

Uncle Ron was immediately shaking his head. "I'm not going over four."

"Well I guess that settles it! I can show you a car worth four grand." Bobby B ushered us away towards some junk car that looked like it belonged on a crap sundae right next to the Camaro.

We hadn't even taken two steps when there was a loud metallic bang. All of us whipped back around to see the door of the Camaro buried into the side of the Lumina Bobby B was trying to pawn off on us. I couldn't help it... I burst out laughing while everyone else was standing there too shocked to move or say anything. Of course this made it seem as if I was guilty or something, WHICH I WASN'T!

"Clare!" Uncle Ron scolded me.

"I didn't do it! I was right here with you the whole time!" I protested.

"Well there are other cars that I can show you-" Bobby B started only to suddenly get cut off as another high frequency screech split through the air; causing each of us to cover our ears and all of the car windows and windshields to completely shatter.

We all ducked out of the way as flying glass came showering down around us. Aside from getting a few small cuts this was totally making my day!

After the glass had stopped falling and the noise had cut off, everyone looked up to see only the Camaro undamaged. I stared at it with a grin... looks like the car picked the owner!

"I'll take four thousand!" The cheapo salesman swiftly turned to Uncle Ron.

"Deal." They shook hands while I flitted over to the Camaro and patted the hood affectionately.

"Good car!" I crooned to it while Sam just gave me a weird look. "Hey! Don't you stare at me mister bedroom masturbator!"

"Clare shut up!" Sam blushed furiously and stomped over to stand next to me. "I do not do that so don't go broadcasting it to the whole world!"

"Sureeeee you don't! You know, acceptance is the first step to finding a solution." I told Sam with an evil smile as Uncle Ron walked back over to us before Sam could say anything else. He still shot me an evil glare before reaching for the car keys in Uncle Ron's hands. I wasn't having any of that so I quickly called out. "Rock paper scissors for who gets to drive first!"

Sam put on his game face, which actually just looked like he was severely constipated, and we started smacking our fists into our open palms. Unfortunately for Sam I already knew his particular rock paper scissor pattern... heehee.

"Rock! Paper! Scissors! Shoot!"

Sam groaned as I put the scissors to his paper and even made the fun cutting motion with sound effects. "I WIN!" I grinned and snatched the keys from Uncle Ron.

"She's probably going to get me killed or something dad..." Sam muttered as he sulked around to the passenger side door. He slid in and buckled his seatbelt as I practically dove into the driver's seat and did the same.

For a moment I gently rubbed the key in my hand before I slid it into the ignition almost reverently and twisted it. The engine gave a loud roar and the strange energy that I felt before intensified until I felt like my hair would stand up. I shivered slightly at the feeling, brushing it off before Sam noticed and concentrated on not crashing and dying in a giant inferno. So I continued to drive the car off the lot and towards the direction of home.

* * *

Later that night I sat in my room, doing homework for my AP Biology class. Sam had taken the car to go to a party with his friend Miles in an effort to, unsuccessfully, impress Mikeala. I grinned at the thought and flipped my textbook closed once I finished the last question on the worksheet.

Sam had wanted me to go to the lake party as well, but I wasn't really into being around a bunch of people that I didn't know. It made me uncomfortable, and I would probably end up terrorizing some of them with pranks. Plus, I didn't really want to see Sam hit on Trent Demarco's girlfriend, or get his ass kicked. Cuz then I'd have to kick Trent's ass for kicking Sam's ass!

Stretching my arms above my head, I stood up and made my way downstairs to the kitchen where Aunt Judy was making what smelled like chicken teriyaki for dinner. Uncle Ron, however, was not in the kitchen as usual. Normally he was trying to steal the all the food before everyone sat down to eat. "Where's Uncle Ron?"

Aunt Judy turned to me and pointed out the window towards the backyard. "Oh he's out there trying to fix the spots that Sam left when he stepped on the lawn! Honestly I told him that unless it's real Maui green it shouldn't matter but he just wouldn't listen!"

I blinked at her, before slowly shaking my head and trying to fight down a laugh... good ole crazy Aunt Judy. "Ok I'm going to go outside and see what he's doing." With a quick wave I stepped out the door to the backyard, immediately catching sight of Uncle Ron's chubby form staring down at the grass with a deep concentrated frown. "Sam step on the grass again Uncle Ron?" I came to a stop beside him while laughed quietly.

He held out his hands rapidly waving them back and forth at the small foot prints. "He just doesn't understand how it feels to own, mow, and love your own grass. To have each piece perfect only for a teenager to come by and step on it! No respect, I tell you!"

I shrugged. "Make him get down on his hands and knees and use a set of tweezers to pull each individual blade up!"

"That's a good idea... until he decides to stay on the path!"

"Right. So when is Sammy double whammy coming back home?" I asked and looked over at the smooth rock path just as a little green frog hopped onto it. I swear it was looking at me funny, and I just stared back without blinking, I would not break!

"...listening to me...? Clare?" An irritated voice questioned, distracting me from my contest with the frog that I had subconsciously named Cabbage.

"Huh? What?" Swiveling around, I caught sight of Uncle Ron staring at me intently.

"I asked if you could walk Mojo and Frankie before dinner?" He prompted me.

"Oh sure. I guess I'll be back in a few then." I turned back around and started back towards the house to grab the little humping menace AKA Mojo, and little lovable Frankie the non-shaking humping menace. THE ONLY NORMAL DOG!

"MOJO! FRANKIE! WANNA GO OUTSIDE?!" I called out as soon as I stepped foot into the house and grabbed the two leashes hanging near the door.

Almost immediately I heard the distinct sound of paws pattering through the kitchen before Mojo, the shaking midget, came bolting out of the kitchen followed by Frankie's black and white fat self. I leaned down and attached the leash to each of them before tugging them out the door.

The two of them started tugging as I led them around to the front of the house. "Calm down Seizo: the magically seizuring dog!" I admonished Mojo when he almost choked himself from lunging too hard on the leash. I swear, sometimes I just want to give this dog coffee and sic him on Sam.

Frankie was placidly walking a few steps ahead of me, too lazy to put the effort into walking fast. I had to pull Mojo back gently every few feet as we walked around the block. Both of them did their business, and I did my job as a good citizen by picking up the dingleberries with the pooperscooper bags as Aunt Judy called them.

It was on the walk back that I caught sight of Sam driving home from the party in our Camaro. He also may or may not have almost taken out a trashcan on the curb when he waved at me. I just shook my head and made my way back to the house, stopping near the back door to drop the pooperscooper bags into the trash can.

Sam grabbed a hold of me as soon as I set foot into the house and tugged me to his bedroom. "You'll never guess what just happened!" He slammed the door after us and locked it.

"Umm you finally admitted that you're a complete freak and that you're ok with it?" I deadpanned. He shoved me to sit down on his bed which I grimaced at and stood to sit down on his dresser instead. "I so do not want to sit on your bed ever Sam. I don't know what's happened to those sheets."

"Shut up!" He growled, flushing a deep red color.

"So what happened that you had to drag me away before I could even take Mojo and Frankie off their leashes?"

He almost started hyperventilating, eyes bugging out until he almost looked like Cabbage, my froggy friend. "Mikeala... I talked to Mikeala and she actually talked back! Can you believe that? I even gave her a ride home!"

"Geee I wonder how that happened?" She probably got stranded at the party and desperately needed a ride home, ergo the reason that she spoke to Sam at all. Or maybe she liked nerds with jock complexes who just had no capacity for being masculine? I'm pretty sure that's what it was.

"Hey! I know that you're thinking something completely uncool about me!"

"You'd be right! So what did she say to you? How badly did you embarrass yourself?"

Sam threw his arms up in exasperation. "What makes you think that I did something to embarrass myself?"

"Ummm you're you." I told him seriously. He gave me a withering look making me shrug as I flicked a few strands of my long hair behind my ear from where they had come loose from my bun. "Just tell me what she said to you already!" I demanded.

"Well she uhhh, at first she said a bunch of stuff about the kind of guys she likes..." He deflated.

"So everything that you aren't?" I sighed and kicked my feet against the side of his dresser. "Sam if she can't like you for you then why bother? Stop being an stereotypical teenage boy and find a girl that likes you for you."

He gave me a look. "I think she does like me."

"Wasn't she dating Trent? She can't have that good of taste in men Sam..." I didn't know Mikeala that well, but any girl that dated Trent was probably a preppy bitch. Then again maybe I shouldn't be a hypocrite and judge Mikeala until I knew her myself. Not like that was going to happen. Yup, I was arguing with myself again… I need to stop doing that…

"I think they broke up." He looked up at me hopefully.

I bit my tongue to prevent myself from saying anything to crush his boyish hopes and dreams. "Maybe this is your chance...?" It came out as more of a question and my doubt must have showed, because he gave me a somewhat dejected look.

"You think I have no chance."

"I never said that Sammy! If Mikeala wants to have a relationship with someone in chibi form you're totally up her alley!" I told him, only to bite my tongue because of how degrading it sounded. "I mean go for it Sam! If you think you have a chance, then go get her!"

"You think so?" He asked me hopefully.

"It can't hurt Sam. Just ask her tomorrow or something and if she's not into it then you know where you stand." I told him honestly.

"Alright then! I'll ask her tomorrow!"

"Good! Well it's almost time for dinner so let's get going! IT'S CHICKEN TERIYAKI NIGHT!" I cheered as I ran out the door to his room. Little did I know that things were about to change in our lives.

* * *

Sometime that night I was awoken by a hysterical Sam bursting into my room. Doesn't everyone just love to wake up with someone screaming in your ear? "CLARE SOMEONE'S STEALING OUR CAR!"

My body acted on autopilot, jolting up from the bed, I grabbed a jacket; throwing it on along with a pair of leather boots. Together we raced out the door and down the stairs just in time to see our car go shooting past us. Sam yelled back at the house to wake Uncle Ron then grabbed his bike, which prompted me to grab mine. We both hopped on and took off down the driveway, and out onto the sidewalk. Sam got onto his phone and called the police while we rode alongside the Camaro on the sidewalk.

"Hello police? I need to report an emergency! SOMEONE'S STEALING MY CAR!" Sam shouted furiously as he swerved out into the road and followed along behind me since I was faster than him. "I need you to send out every squad car in the area!"

"Oh my god Sam..." I moaned as we peddled along. I could hear him panting heavily from behind me as he continued shouting into his phone. Like they were going to send every car in the area for a stolen Camaro!

We followed until the thief pulled into an old junkyard, both of us discarding our bikes and continuing on foot after it. I took one step in the direction that we had last seen our car disappear in when I was suddenly hit with a feeling of electricity coursing all over my body. My knees almost went out from under me and I had to grab onto Sam to keep from falling down. A muffled scream escaped my mouth before I clenched my teeth together.

"Clare?!"

"I'm ok. Let's go!" I told him as the sensation dissipated. Shaking it off, I launched to my feet and ran across the junkyard with Sam in toe.

My feet almost went out from under me again when I witnessed the most amazing thing I never thought possible! The Camaro was sitting at the opposite end of the junkyard when a small whirring sound broke the silence. Then our four thousand-dollar piece of metal proceeded to shift and break apart. Individual pieces started to move and rotate until a giant form began to take shape. We watched in awe as our Camaro turned into a huge robot!

"What the hell?!" Sam squeaked.

"This is so cool!" I muttered as we watched the metal being shine a huge ray of light out into the night sky.

I heard a small click and looked over to see that Sam had taken a picture of our robot Camaro. "My name is Sam Witwicky and if I don't make it back, my car is alive!" He muttered to his phone.

Rolling my eyes at him I turned back to our robot car... only to notice two large guard dogs sitting just opposite of the scrap pile we were hiding behind. They were watching us intently too, looking like they were ready to rip us apart for dinner. "Oh shit." I whispered as I backed away, slowly dragging Sam after me.

"Clare what are you-oh shit!" He yelled, taking notice of the dogs for the first time too. Seeing our panic, they rose from where they were laying and stepped towards us, growling and showing their teeth.

Both of them lunged towards us making Sam and I scream and take off in the opposite direction. The sound of the chains clanking echoed across the junkyard as the demon dogs yanked themselves free from the brick wall. I shrieked and sprinted away as fast as I could, leaving Sam struggling to catch up.

"Clare! Wait for me!" He yelped and as he tried scrambling up a slab of metal before losing his balance and falling onto his hands and knees. He crawled the rest of the way to the edge as I vaulted over the side, and quickly scuttled down after me and we took off into an old abandoned building at the edge of the junkyard.

I leapt up onto a couple of barrels as soon as we were clear of the shoddy walls and Sam jumped up next to me. We made it just in time because both dogs, a Rottweiler and German Sheppard, tore in after us. Sam clutched at me in panic, nearly pushing me off as the dogs circled us barking and snarling.

"We are so dead!" Sam yelled as one of them snapped at him.

Out of nowhere a bright light filtered in from the holes in the building, making me look up right as our car smashed through the wall! It spun around us and Sam, the idiot, tossed the keys at it!

"Take your keys, we don't want them! The car is yours!" He shouted as he jumped off of the barrels, all while pulling me after him, and sprinted back through the hole. If I was that car I would be laughing my ass off right about now...

He dragged me back outside just in time for a cop car to pull up. And Sam, being Sam, kept adding to his list of idiotic moves as he stopped us right in front of the police car and started sputtering at the cops that stepped out. They just pulled guns on us and… well... you can tell where that went.

* * *

Several hours later we were sitting in a police station with this moron detective who was questioning me and Sam about being on drugs.

"I'm not on any drugs." Sam protested.

Another officer tossed what I recognized as Mojo's pain medicine towards the guy questioning us. "What is this huh? That's what you kids are doing now? A little bit of Mojo?" I rolled my eyes at the idiot. He almost reached Sam's level.

"That's our dog's pain medicine." I told him with a deadpan expression.

Uncle Ron who was standing next to us instantly nodded and agreed. "Yeah a Chihuahua."

Maybe the guy wouldn't think we were high if Sam hadn't started going on about our car turning into a giant ROBOT! I glared at my cousin from the corner of my eye and was half tempted to elbow the crap out of him. Yeah it was true, but why would you tell a cop that?! Of course he's going to think we're high!

The cop suddenly put his hand on his head and swayed a bit before holding a hand out towards us like he was warding off evil. I'd show him something really menacing if he didn't let us go soon. Barely 3 hours of sleep didn't exactly make me cute and fluffy. "Whoa whoa! What was that?"

Sam made a small noise of confusion. "Hmm?"

"You eyeballin' my piece fifty cent?" He asked, then he stood up and stalked towards Sam before leaning over him. "You wanna go? Make somethin' happen. Do it." He leaned down into Sam's face and gave him his 'serious' face. "Cause let me tell you somethin', I will bust you up." Never mind. I didn't think it was possible but crazy here is worse than Sam. Congrats Sam, you're no longer on the top of the list.

"Are you on drugs?" Sam and I asked at the same time.

* * *

The next morning, I was downstairs in the kitchen eating breakfast while Mojo stared out the window; his front paws on the windowsill. Right now I was waiting for my coffee to get finished because caffeine is life. I can never wake up in the mornings without it.

Sam walked in, dressed for the day and grabbed the milk out of the fridge; proceeding to drink straight out of the gallon jug.

"Sam really?" I reached into the cupboard, grabbing two mugs and passing one to him. "Don't drink out of the jug that's nasty!" He ignored me and kept drinking. Ooh, he was going to regret that.

Mojo started barking out the window as I poured my coffee into my cup and added a crap load of creamer and sugar. "Mojo cut it out! It's way too early for you to be barking at-!" The sudden roar of a loud engine cut me off before I could finish my sentence.

Sam spit out the milk in his mouth and raced over to the window where Mojo was barking.

I followed him and peered out the window and there was our car... or robot pulling up into the driveway. "It came back!" I chirped as Sam proceeded to have a freak out, which involved him grabbing Mojo and calling Miles. I ignored his nonsensical speech and waved at the car. Call me crazy but I like our robot car! It gives off a good vibe.

A sudden tug on my arm had me whipping around in time to see Sam with Aunt Judy's pink bike. "What are you doing?"

"Let's go!" He started yanking me towards the door and I let him, but only because I wanted to go out and see Robocar.

"Sam I can't ride on that." I sighed as he hopped on. He opened his mouth to say something to me when our car came driving around the side of the house, causing him to scream and take off without me.

"What a pussy." At least it's nice to know where I stand for the zombie apocalypse. The Camaro stopped in front of me and opened the driver side door. "How polite of you!" I got in without a second thought, I probably should have questioned that more but for now… meh.

It was kind of weird being in a car that could drive itself, but so much fun! I could just sit back and enjoy the ride, while the car drove after Sam's pink bike riding self in silence with my boot clad feet propped up on the dash. Who knew that Sam could ride that fast? All he did on the weekends was sit inside and play videogames.

The idiot led us through downtown where I caught sight of Mikeala hanging out with some friends outside of the local burger king. This is also where Sam decided to flip Aunt Judy's bike over a piece of uneven concrete and land painfully on his back. "Ouch that had to have hurt." The car even seemed to give a rumbling laugh with me.

Sam slowly stood, rubbing his lower back while muttering something to Mikeala. She replied right before Sam got back on the bike and rocketed off. I was surprised when I saw Mikeala get up and follow him on her moped; she didn't seem like the kind of person that would care about someone else. So Mikeala went after Sam with Robocar and I on her tail.

We lost sight of him in an underpass that was filled with junk. Damn, this was worse than Where's Waldo! I was peering around the trash and between abandoned vehicles in hope of seeing Sam's scrawny ass. The Camaro went up and down a few rows before turning back onto the main road to search there. Only we didn't get far. Robocar suddenly skidded to a halt in the middle of the street before flipping around and gunning it back towards the underpass.

Mikeala and Sam were on the ground next to a fallen moped yelling at each other, but that was not what really caught my attention. No the main picture to this screwed up scene was a black and white robot sprinting towards them while tossing aside cars. A seatbelt snaked across my chest at the same time that the Camaro sped up and did a fishtail; taking out the other robot's legs. Spinning around, Robocar pulled up and opening the passenger door for Mikeala and Sam.

"Hi Sam! Hi Mikeala!" I waved at their dumbstruck faces.

"Clare, what are you?! Never mind Mikeala get into the car!" Sam tried to shove Mikeala in.

"Are you crazy?! I'm not getting into that car!" She protested.

"Just trust me ok?!" He then jumped in; pulling her into the car after him. The door slammed shut after they were both inside and Robocar took off like a bat out of hell.

Unfortunately, our other robot friend shifted down to a police car and tore out after us. Robocar floored it through a cloud of smoke and Sam started beating on the dashboard, flipping out. "GOGOGOGOGOGO!"

"We're gonna die!" Mikeala screamed as the two cars swerved around each other.

"No we're not! No we're not! No we're not!" Sam tried placating her.

And me? I was having the time of my life! "WOOOOOHOOOOOO!" I threw my arms up in the air and cheered for Robocar at the top of my lungs. Fortunately for me the other two were too busy panicking to care what I did.

"Trust me he's a kick ass driver!" Sam told her.

The car then decided to go straight through a glass window in the side of a warehouse.

"WE'RE GONNA DIE!" Sam screeched like a girl. The car swerved hard to the left and gunned it back out of the warehouse, using evasive maneuvers and managed to get away from the cop car. Robocar pulled up to another small warehouse before turning everything off and activating the door locks. This of course made Sam and Mikeala start freaking out even more. Yay for me.

"Relax! It's not like you'd be able to get out here anyways. Mr. Robostalker is still lurking around out there." I told them in a soothing manner, trying to calm them down. This also backfired slightly by caused them both to look over at me.

"Clare! What the hell were you doing in here anyways?" Sam asked me.

I shrugged. "I'm going for a ride in the world's only self-driving car... or at least one of them." It was then that Robocop passed by in front of us.

"Who are you anyways?" Mikeala asked me.

"I'm Clare Witwicky, Sam's cousin!" The car suddenly jerked forward as I held out my hand for her to shake causing her and Sam to scream again.

Robocar just barely made it past the cop car. It seemed to realize it was out of options because as soon as we were clear Robocar spun around and opened the passenger side door and dumped us all out on the dirty ground!

The sound of metal shifting hit my ears a second later as our car shifted into its' robot form and took a fight pose. "GO ROBOCAR!" I cheered as Sam pulled Mikeala and me to our feet, just in time for Robocop to transform and tackle Robocar. They went flying overhead, Robocop coming up onto his feet first. Something small shot out from his chest and landed a few feet from us.

It was a robot that was about the size of a small child, and he looked as twitchy as hell. "Oh no, no Robomojo."

A hand grabbed my arm and pulled me along as we fled from Robocop and Robocar's battle zone. Both of them were tossing each other into buildings and shit. Not a safe place to be, but neither was with Robomojo. That little bastard kept chasing us until it leapt onto Sam's legs; pulling him down and yanking his pants off.

Mikeala took off to god knows where while I was busy kicking Robomojo's metallic ass to try and get him away from my cousin. I'm guessing he finally got pissed off because he then let go of Sam and jumped at me, trying to bring me to the ground. I twisted to the side and he flew past me, if just barely because he was a quick little bastard. By distracting him, Sam had enough time to get to his feet and together we took off running. That is until Robomojo tackled Sam over a small drop-off. It pinned my cousin against a fence and started pulling at him. I frantically looked around for something to hit it with until my eyes landed on a lead pipe sitting not too far away. I grabbed it, scaled down the drop off, and swung at the little thing making it go flying. No one hurts my family!

Robomojo lunged back up and flew at us, somehow managing to get under my pipe as I tried to hit it again. Sam helped me out by grabbing it and holding it out away from himself, trying not to get scratched by its' flailing arms. I would have hit it again if Mikeala hadn't run up and taken a saw to the thing's body; lopping limbs off in a way that would make a lumberjack jealous. She finally managed to cut the damn thing's head off and if fell with a thud.

The Robomojo's body fell from Sam's hands with a dull plop to the ground below... dead. I looked at Mikeala breathlessly and murmured. "Nice one."

"Thanks." She panted, clearly out of breath.

Deciding it was time to go, the three of us jogged along the fence line until we saw Robocar walking over a hill, apparently looking for us.

"What is it?" Mikeala asked.

I felt something shift in me at the question. I wanted to answer but at the same time I didn't know what to say. Sam attempted to. "A robot...like a super advanced robot. It's probably a SONY. Definitely Japanese."

"What's it doing?" Mikeala questioned, a slight bit of fear reaching her voice as Robocar came closer.

"It doesn't want to hurt us. I don't think... or he would have done it already." Sam responded.

"Oh really?! How do you know that? Do you speak robot?!" Mikeala snarked back.

"Hi Robocar!" I greeted him with a wave, earning myself certain looks from Sam and Mikeala. Robocar waved back at me and chirped like some kind of bird.

"Do you want something?" Sam asked him. "The other one was asking about my eBay page."

"You are the strangest boy I have ever met!"

Sam ignored her and shouted up at Robocar. "Can you talk?!"

Suddenly its' radio kicked on, broadcasting a bunch of sound clips that were threaded together. "XM satellite radio!"

"So you talk through the radio?" Sam guessed.

Robocar started clapping at him. "Thank you! Thank you! You're wonderful!"

"So what was that last night?" Sam asked.

A few more clips played from his speakers, but all I caught was unanimous something that had come to visit us from heaven, enforced by the fact that he pointed at the sky.

"So you're an alien." Mikeala and I guessed at the same time.

Instead of responding to us he suddenly shifted down to car form and opened the doors for us. "Anymore, questions you want to ask?"

I shrugged and hopped into the driver's seat immediately. However, Sam and Mikeala were not so eager.

"Let's just get in the car." Sam urged.

Mikeala looked at him like he was crazy. "Get in and go where?"

Sam turned to her. "Fifty years from now, when you're looking back at your life, don't you want to be able to say that you had the guts to get into the car?"

Mikeala gave him a look before finally getting into the vehicle. Sam followed along after her and got into the passenger seat while she climbed into the back.

Robocar stopped to grab Mikeala's dropped bag and phone and Sam's pants before taking off, back into the city without another word… or clip. Still I enjoyed the ride. The seats were comfortable, but there was the added bonus of knowing that Sam and Mikeala were still panicking internally.

"This car's a pretty good driver." Mikeala said so quietly that it was mostly a whisper. She seemed unsure of how to react to any of what had happened. Well most sane people would be. "You know what I don't understand?"

Both of us looked at her curiously. "What?" We asked at the same time.

"Why if he's supposed to be a super advanced robot does he transform back into this piece of crap Camaro?"

Robocar suddenly screeched to a stop out of nowhere, turning sharply until he was sitting dead in the middle of the road blocking both lanes. Both doors popped open in a silent message to get the hell out.

"Now look what...!" Sam stammered as we were coerced out of the Camaro.

And then it took off driving down the road away from us. "Well nice one Mikeala! Four thousand dollars just drove off." Sam and I muttered together.

"Hey! How was I supposed to know that he was sensitive?" She snapped.

I sighed and we turned to walk away and begin the long journey home since our ride left us. How was I going to explain this to Uncle Ron? It's not like we had enough money to buy a new form of transportation. Maybe we could say someone stole-! I was interrupted by the sound of a loud engine revving behind us. I glanced toward the road in time to see a brand new 2007 Camaro approaching us with a custom striped black and yellow paintjob. My jaw literally dropped as I squealed and lunged onto the hood. "SOO COOOL! Robocar you're freaking awesome!" Without waiting for Sam and Mikeala to say anything I ran around to the driver's seat and jumped in. "C'mon Sammy get in so that Robocar can take us wherever he needs to!"

Sam and Mikeala stared in complete shock at our new ride. "What?!"

He stepped forward and opened the door for Mikeala, allowing her to slip into the back seat before sitting in the passenger seat. The three of us stared at each other in complete freaking awe as the car took off again.

* * *

About a half hour later Robocar pulled into an alleyway and stopped, motioning for us to get out by opening his doors. We did so in time to see a large red and blue semi-truck with flames painted on it pulling into the alley ahead of us. The sound of engines behind us startled me into whipping around in time to see five more vehicles pulling in. I hesitantly edge closer to Robocar as a safety precaution. "They're cool right?" I whispered to him. They all have the same inkling of energy that I can sometimes sense coming from Robocar, so I'm going to go out on a limb and say they're transforming robots too. He only revs his engine at me.

The truck, or Peterbuilt I realize, stops in front of us for a moment before it begins the process of changing, almost exactly like Robocar did before. However, more parts shift and snap into place as a much larger robotic being appears before us.

We stare in awe at the process and more sounds of transformation go off around us, but I barely notice the others changing. The one in front of me is so freaking big it's at least twice the size of Robocar. If he wanted to he could eat me! Slowly take one step away now…

He kneels down in front of us on one knee until he's almost face to face with our small group, or as much as you can be as a giant robot. "Are you Samuel Witwicky, descendent of Archibald Witwicky?" He asked in a deep timbre voice.

"They know your name." Mikeala whispered. No shit Sherlock!

I stared at the metal man, whose face seemed more human than robot. The cheeks were metal and smooth, defined as a human's would be, and he had lips that I could tell were softer than the rest of the metal of his face. I feel like such a creeper right now, but there were so many similarities! It was astounding. "Sam he asked you a question." I prompted when my cousin just stared dumbly at him.

"Yeah." Sam answered dumbly.

"My name is Optimus Prime." He informed us, before gesturing with a nod of his head to the others gathered. "We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron."

"But you can call us Autobots for short." A yellow and red robo- Autobot informed us in a gravelly voice.

"Autobots..." Sam and I murmured together.

I turned as I heard a noise to my right, turning my body towards the smallest Autobot there. The tiny silver bot stepped forward slightly. "What's crackin' little bitches?" He spun around and leapt onto an old rusted car, his paint gleaming in the street lights. "This looks like a cool place to kick it."

"That is my first Lieutenant designation: Jazz." Optimus introduced us.

"Where did he learn to talk like that?" I asked.

Optimus focused in on me. "We downloaded the English language from the World Wide Web in order to communicate with your kind." He turned towards a large black mech. "This is my Weapons Specialist: Ironhide."

Ironhide transformed his arms into cannons and pointed them at Sam. "You feelin' lucky punk?" He rumbled.

"Easy Ironhide." Optimus warned.

Dude those cannons were freaking huge! Oh my God!

"I was just kidding... I wanted to show them my cannons." Ironhide almost seemed to pout.

"Our Medical Officer: Ratchet." Optimus gestured to the yellow and red one from earlier who was now sniffing oddly at the air.

I immediately knew that I would like Ratchet when he opened his mouth and embarrassed the shit out of Sam. "Hmm the boy's pheromone levels indicate that he wants to mate with the female."

I snorted out a laugh as Mikeala swiveled her head in Sam's direction. Sam in turn glared at me, and I only shrugged as Optimus moved to introduce Robocar. I skipped over him before Optimus could and patted his leg. This seemed to surprise the other robots there including the two that were standing next to Robocar.

Optimus moved to introduce him next. "You already know your guardian, Bumblebee."

Bumblebee, as he had been dubbed, struck a fighting pose and started throwing quick jabs as music started projecting from his speakers. "Check on the rep! Yep second to none!"

I giggled at him and mirrored his movements eliciting a happy chirp from him.

Sam pointed at me and shook his head. "Uhh… that's my cousin Clare she's spec- I mean weird." Sam laughed nervously as he corrected himself. I gave him a nod and put away my death glare for another day.

"Weird?" A red robot with a black head, with these horns on his head grinned and stepped forward to kneel down near me. He was predominantly red, but he had white on his abdomen, and legs, with more black on his crotch area… "She seems to know how to have fun. My designation's Sideswipe."

My mouth formed a little 'o' shape... D'awwwww, he was cute for an alien! "My name is Clare Witwicky! And don't listen to Sam when he says that I'm weird! He's just jealous that I can be a total weirdo and everyone still wants me." I informed him, shooting Sam a grin.

He gestured back over his shoulder to a golden robot that seemed to be glaring at the humans gathered. "This is Sunstreaker, my older twin. Don't mind his attitude he's just an aft."

"Is it because you're the cuter twin?" I asked him seriously.

His grin widened. "Yup. I get all the femmes and he gets none." There was a sudden clang as the bot who was predominantly gold robot, with black on his head and some on his shoulders, forearms, and crotch, AKA Sunnykins, slammed his fist into Sideswipe's helm.

"Liar! The femmes flock to me for my superior looks!"

So this guy was a self-perfectionist and had enough arrogance that he surpassed Trent... I was going to have fun with him. This was going to be awesome. "You have some dirt on you... just there... or umm like all over. Do you need a hose and some soap to get it off?"

Icy blue robot eyes flicked in my direction, well I that's the second robot I've pissed off today. "What did you say squishy?" He growled at me, but oh how sexy that deep metallic voice was.

Then I processed what he called me and my body heated in anger. "What did you just call me?!" I took a step towards him with my fists clenched. "I have a name you giant asshole! It's Clare! Not squishy! Not organic! IT'S CLARE! And if you can't call me by my name then don't complain when I call you Sunnykins!"

Before things could get any worse than they already were, like me being stepped on, Sideswipe picked me up and deposited me on his shoulder. I held onto one of his weird horn thingies for support and snootily turned away from Sunnykins.

"What did you call me organic?!"

I ignored him and played with Sideswipe's ear thing... or maybe it was some kind of a vent? "What is this Sideswipe?"

"It's part of my audio network." Sideswipe explained.

"Oh so it's how you take in and process sound?" I prodded at it gently, not knowing how sensitive it was so I didn't want to hurt it. He rumbled beneath my hands causing me to snap back just in case. Maybe I should be paying attention to Optimus or something. I turned back to see said Autobot waiting patiently for all eyes to turn back to him. "Sorry."

Apparently Mikeala or Sam has asked him something before Sunnykins and I had gotten into it, because he quickly started talking. "We came here looking for the Allspark and we must find it before Megatron."

"Mega-what?" Sam asked him.

Instead of answering him Optimus lifted a hand to his head and tapped at his temple, projecting a light show from his eyes. "Our planet was once a powerful empire, peaceful and just, until we were betrayed by Megatron the leader of the Decepticons. All who defied him were destroyed. Our war finally consumed the planet and the Allspark was lost to the stars. Megatron followed it to Earth where Captain Witwicky found him."

"Wow Grampy Archibald!" I grinned.

"It was an accident that intertwined our fates. Megatron crash landed before he could retrieve the cube and Captain Witwicky accidentally activated his navigation system. The coordinates of the cube were imprinted onto his glasses."

"How did you know about the glasses?" Sam asked. I rolled my eyes at him.

"EBay." Optimus responded.

My jaw dropped. "SAM YOU PUT GRANDPA ARCHIBALD'S GLASSES ON EBAY?! WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" I growled and turned to scale down Sideswipe's shoulder.

Sam squealed like a girl and pointed at Sideswipe. "DON'T LET HER DOWN OR SHE'LL KILL ME! SHE HITS LIKE A FUCKING AMAZON!"

"Amazon?" Sideswipe murmured but he did grab me so that I could not get free to get at Sam. I squirmed in his hand, trying to get at my dumbass of a cousin.

"LET GO! I'M GOING TO RAM MY FOOT SO FAR UP SAM'S ASS THAT HE'LL TASTE THE LEATHER OF MY BOOTS FOR A MONTH!" I shrieked and thrashed kicking wildly at Sideswipe's hand. Man he was a strong robot, but then again I was a small organic human. "It's okay Sam, we have to go home sometime!" I grinned ferally at him making him whimper.

"We have to get the Allspark before Megatron does or else he'll use its' power to transform Earth's machines and build a new army." Ratchet informed us.

"And the human race will be extinguished." Optimus informed us gravely. "Sam Witwicky... you hold the fate to Earth's survival."

"Please tell me that you have those glasses." Mikeala gulped.

"They're at home." I muttered. "Let's just go get them Sam."

"Right." Sam agreed quickly.

Optimus nodded. "Autobots roll out!"

Bee transformed down and opened his doors for us. Sam and Mikeala quickly climbing in, but I never even hit the ground as Sideswipe shifted around me. I squeaked and closed my eyes, not wanting to see it when I somehow got caught in a part and crushed.

"You can open your optics now, Clare." Sideswipe told me. I could hear the grin in his voice.

I slowly opened my eyes before blinking in shock. I was sitting in plush black leather, completely safe, in an expensive as hell car. "Holy shit is this a Lamborghini Murcielago?"

Sideswipe rumbled around me. "You bet! Sunny and I only choose the very best alt modes Clare."

Just then a sleek gold Lamborghini Gallardo drove by us. "He's still covered in dirt." I turned away with a huff.

Sideswipe just laughed as we pulled out after the other Autobots. At least he seemed nice!

* * *

**R&amp;R! Edited 5/30/16**


	2. Chapter 2

So this chapter has been edited, and some details on the coloration of certain bots have been fixed! I plan on changing a few other details later in the story, and in order to fully understand things happening in the latest chapter, you should pay close attention to this one! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

The Autobots pulled into a neighboring ally right next to our house, stopping to let each of us humans out. Hopefully they wouldn't transform or bring any unnecessary attention to themselves; I don't know how to explain giant alien robots to my parents.

"I need you to stay here and watch them ok?" Sam was telling Mikeala when I walked up to them.

"And how do you suppose I do that?" She quipped.

"Just watch them and make sure they don't do anything! Clare you stay here and help her ok?"

I shrugged. "Sure, but if they really want to do something we can't stop them Sam." I certainly wasn't getting stepped on without a good reason. So if shit did go down I was going to stand aside and watch with my bag of popcorn.

He gave me a look before sprinting around the side of the house. I could hear him talking to Uncle Ron only seconds later about us not doing our chores, then him asking where I was. Great job Sam! How are you going to explain that one? While I was distracted by the conversation, sounds of transformation went on behind me.

Mikeala's panicked voice is what caught my attention. Looking over my shoulder, my eyes landed on the Autobots all standing there in their bipedal forms, throwing their disguises to the wind. "What are you doing?" I whisper yelled at them. "This is a residential neighborhood someone might see you!"

"We must get the glasses." Optimus informed me again. He made a hand motions towards both sides of my house causing the other Autobots to break off and silently surround it. I nearly had a freaking panic attack when this happened for several reasons! They were giant robots that were trying to be all inconspicuous and shit by peering into windows and around walls. The main issue here: THEY WERE GIANT ROBOTS!

"No! Nonononononono!" I ran over and tugged on Bee's foot as he tried to look around a corner at Sam and Uncle Ron. "No Bee! Back up!" He hummed and slid back out of sight thankfully. Unfortunately, Uncle Ron saw me before I could hide again, gesturing me over. Shit!

"Clare your chores aren't done." He told me sternly.

"I know! I'll get them done ASAP, I promise!" I sighed gratefully when Uncle Ron just nodded, turning back and disappearing into the house. But my relief didn't last that long as the ground rumbling behind Sam and I. We both turned around in time to see Optimus and the others trying to creep across the lawn.

Sam started freaking out like a total spaz when the Autobot leader stepped around Uncle Ron's fountain. "What are you doing? Where are you going? Watch the path! Watch the path please!?" He dodged around Optimus' huge ass foot with his hands held out in front of him, like that would stop a huge ass robot from stepping on anything. "NOOOO! WAIT NOOOO!"

And then Optimus accidentally stepped on the fountain and crushed it...

"Oh shit." I muttered.

"Oops. Sorry, my apologies." Optimus apologized.

Mikeala and I stood there with Sideswipe who had come over to stand near me. We watched, amused, as Sam proceeded to freak out. "You couldn't wait-I-You couldn't wait for five minutes? I asked you to wait for five minutes and you couldn't do it!" His eyes shot over in our direction in a heated glare. "Really Clare? You couldn't watch them for five minutes?"

I threw my arms up in the air. "What the fuck am I supposed to do to stop them?! Spank them with the garden hose?" I sneered at him. Something rushed past my foot and I looked down to see Mojo go running past me, over towards Ironhide. Before I could do anything the dumbass dog lifted his leg and peed right on his foot.

Sam saw him and started yelling at him. "No! Mojo off the robot!"

"YIP!" Mojo squealed when Ironhide lightly kicked him.

"Ugh, wet!" Ironhide grunted as he shook his foot.

"Nononononono! Easy!" Sam scooped Mojo up and held his hands up in a placating motion.

Ironhide powered up his massive cannons and pointed them at Mojo. "It seems that you have a rodent infestation. Shall I terminate?"

I walked over and tapped on Ironhide's clean foot, causing him to look down at me curiously. "That's a dog Ironhide. He's our pet Chihuahua, not a rodent even though he's a pest like one. Please don't shoot him or else Sam will cry."

Ironhide just stared at me momentarily before resuming pointing his cannons at Mojo. "He's leaked lubricants all over my foot." He growled.

Sam looked down at Mojo and scolded him. "No! Bad Mojo! Bad Mojo!"

I giggled when Ironhide repeated him. "Bad Mojo." He said in his deep, rough timbre.

That was when I noticed Sideswipe and Sunstreaker smirking at Ironhide. I raised a brow at them and patted Ironhide's foot again to get his attention. "I can wash that later so that it doesn't rust. That is, if you don't mind a human touching you." I offered.

He picked his foot up and shook it slightly. "Perhaps afterwards." He agreed, before he put his cannons away and walked off. Sam looked like he might piss himself from sheer relief.

We didn't even have time to talk to each other before Optimus was right there, prompting us for the glasses again. "We must have the glasses as soon as possible." He urged.

"Alright! Alright!" Sam told him as he turned and stepped around Optimus' foot, going towards the house. "Just please be quiet! Please! And turn off that light!" He snapped at Ratchet.

"Just hurry." Optimus urged more insistently.

Sam finally disappeared into the house leaving us all standing there, waiting for him. My boredom finally made me to turn to Mikeala in order to make some small talk. "So do you like Sam?"

Her head whipped in my direction, a surprised look resting in her eyes. "Do I like him?" She repeated less than calmly.

"Yeah do you like his goofy, non-popular, nerdy self?" I chirped making Sideswipe, who had come over to stand near us, laugh at me. Reaching out I cuffed his leg in a silent reprimand to tell him to be quiet. "I mean I know that he's not muscular, or the definition of every girl's dream guy, but he's a good person... even if he is a total loser."

She cracked a small grin. "You're so nice to him aren't you?"

I shrugged nonchalantly. "He may be my cousin but I've lived with his family almost all my life. He's more like an older brother, so I have to tease him and drive him nuts. Otherwise he wouldn't know that I love him." I informed her seriously and, for a point that I will not mention, I loved seeing Sam embarrassed and floundering.

She shook her head at me. "Sam's lucky to have you."

"No, not really. I'm luckier to have them." I looked towards the house or, more specifically, at the light shining from Sam's room. "If it hadn't been for my Aunt and Uncle I would have ended up in an orphanage or a foster home somewhere. I count myself lucky every day that I came here instead."

"Your parents?"

I ignored the flare of pain inside me and shrugged to make it seem like I didn't care. "They didn't want me." The muscles in my body tightened as I clenched my left fist. Why had they branded these marks all over my body if they were only going to toss me aside like garbage? I knew that I never meant anything to them but... I shook my head lightly to dispel the thoughts.

It's not like I would have been able to stew in my pain for any longer because Optimus came over to us, plucking Mikeala and I up from the ground. "We must get the glasses now." He lifted us up to Sam's window, enticing another panic attack from my cousin when he saw us there.

"What are you doing? What are you doing?" He moaned.

"They are in a really big hurry." Mikeala rolled her eyes and stepped off of Optimus' palm into Sam's room.

I followed after her, hopping down from the comfy hand I had been sitting on. "Where do we look Sammy?" My eyes roamed around the room briefly as a thought occurred to me. "Oh and point out your porno stash in advance so that I can avoid it like the plague."

Sam gave me an exasperated and embarrassed look. "Why would you even say that? Why?!" He grabbed a black shoe box that Mikeala had been about to look in and stuffed it under his mattress. "There it is, no worries now right?!" He stressed.

"Right." Together the three of us tore through the room looking for the glasses, and it didn't escape my notice that once or twice a large black head peered into Sam's window curiously. I laughed internally at Sideswipe. "Sam what did you last... your backpack! Where is your backpack? You had them in there!" I got up and moved past the window in time to see Ratchet trip over a power line and hit the ground, causing a large shockwave to shake the house and knock the power out.

Almost immediately I heard Uncle Ron freaking out downstairs. "EARTHQUAKE! JUDY GET UNDER THE TABLE!"

I laughed under my breath both at my Uncle, and at Ratchet whom I could hear from here saying something that sounded like, "That was tingly! You've got to try that!" with an almost giggly voice.

Ironhide looked down at him and muttered a gruff. "Yeah that looks fun." Right before he walked away.

"That does look fun." A deep roguish voice commented. I looked over at Sideswipe and grinned. "Weirdo."

Sam calling my name drew my attention back inside. "What Sam?"

"Please Clare, talk to them and make them quiet down!" He looked to be on the verge of a massive breakdown with sweat pooling down his face. I kind of felt bad for him… well a little bit.

With a sigh I turned back to Optimus and waved him in a little closer. "Can you please just be quiet before Sam has a mental breakdown or something? We will find the glasses okay? Sam's room is just a mess so it's going to take a minute or two."

"Please hurry." Optimus urged me.

I nodded to him and slipped back into the window. With hurried movements I swept through Sam's room looking for his black backpack. Like looking through any irresponsible teenage boy's room, it was impossible to find what you were looking for, especially when said boy's concerned parents knocked on the door.

All of us snapped upright as Uncle Ron's voice filtered through the door. "Sam you know the rules! No locked doors in my house!"

"Ron!" Aunt Judy scolded him. "He might be having his happy time in there."

Sam groaned in embarrassment, probably because the girl of his dreams heard that and gave him an amused look. "Just hide ok? Stay over here and be quiet." He gestured for her to hide behind a shelf, before he went to answer the door.

"Sam you know he'll start counting if you don't open the door!" Aunt Judy yelled.

"One! Two! Three!" Uncle Ron started loudly, saying each number through the door.

"Oh dear! Sam he's counting!" Aunt Judy called back.

A bright light washed over us, prompting me turn in time to see Ratchet shining his searchlight into the window. "Nonononono! Ratchet no! Turn it off!" I rushed over to the window and poked my head out. "Stop that! Turn that light off!" The aforementioned bot looked at me oddly, the others gathered around while shifting in anticipation. "Look if my Aunt catches you she's going to do something crazy like call the military on you! So turn the light off!"

"Clare! Clare! Make them turn that light off! Dad's gotten to fifteen!" Sam panicked.

Seeing as how the bot was not listening to me I had to resort to drastic measures. This consisted of me jumping from the window onto his face startling him into stumbling and falling flat on his ass; causing another shockwave to hit the house. I could vaguely hear my Uncle yelling about another earthquake or something, not that I was paying much attention as I scrambled to hold onto Ratchet's face. He finally turned off his light and held up his hand for me to drop down onto, which I did happily.

Ratchet scowled at me. "That was reckless bratling." He scolded me.

I scowled back and patted his metal cheek sharply. "Then learn to listen more Ratchy!" I heard a snicker from Sideswipe and another from Jazz making me scowl at them. "It is soooo not funny! You almost made Sam's poor little virgin mind have an epic breakdown! I know that you need the glasses but making him freak out is counterproductive to your goal, okay? So just sit here and wait for us to come back."

"Just hurry."

"Yeah, yeah I heard you the first ten times you said that!" I snarked, as I scaled down Ratchet's seated form until my feet hit solid ground. I had barely even turned towards the door when the sound of tires screeching across asphalt hit my ears, lights flooding over the house. Metal shifted behind my back, leaving me standing there with a bunch of aliens disguised as cars.

Humans in black came running around the side of the house with guns making me curse. "Awww fucking pancakes!" I turned around at the sound of engines revving. The Autobots, except for Optimus, were quickly backing off and fleeing the scene leaving me alone with him.

"We will be watching." He told me before he too drove off.

A multitude of clicking sounds hit my ears seconds later, obviously from the guns that the people were now pointing at me. With a sigh I turned and held my hands above my head as one of them, obviously the guy in charge and total asswad, stepped towards me while waving some sort of scanner. It started beeping extremely loudly, making my ears ring. "It's red hot! Tag her and bag her!" He ordered.

Immediately I was being cuffed and dragged around the house where I could hear Aunt Judy yelling at a soldier who had Mojo on a dog stick. "You better not hurt my dog or I'll kick your ass!" She yelled at them.

"Don't say anything Sam!" Uncle Ron told us. "You too Clare! Don't say a word until we get a lawyer!" Then he was put into another vehicle.

Sam, Mikeala, and I were shoved in a different truck, myself being seated on the far left. The guy holding the scanner ran it over me while looking over a small plastic bag that had Sam's phone in it. "So Ladiesman217... from eBay? That is your username right?" He turned towards us and held out Sam's phone.

Mikeala gave Sam a weird look making him stammer. "Yeah! Yeah but it was a typo and I ran with it!"

I snorted. Liar.

"What do you make of this?" The man pressed again as he played Sam's voice recording from that night in the junkyard.

Both Mikeala and I glared at him. "Yeah that sounds like Ladiesman." Mikeala agreed looking sideways at Sam.

"Uh huh... I also heard that you told a police officer that your car transformed." He looked between the three of us seriously, raising an eyebrow in question. "Enlighten me."

"Are you on drugs?" I asked him. "Because I'm pretty sure that the cop that interviewed us was on drugs too. Cars do not transform idiot! They're fucking cars! We drive them! Our car is a regular fucking Camaro, stupid!"

Sam quickly nodded his head. "Yeah she's right. I think I was a little tired that night or something."

"Yeah cars don't do that." Mikeala agreed.

What's-his-name just stared intently at me before jamming a badge in my face. "I'm Agent Simmons from Sector seven girly... and this here is my **'I can do whatever I want and get away with it badge'**. So you better not mouth off to me again alright?"

"Oooh I'm so scared! I bet you wear Hawaiian boxers and dance the hula in your free time." I snorted making Mikeala laugh at me.

His gaze snapped to her and narrowed. "I wouldn't be laughing juvenile delinquent. Bad things could happen to that father of yours, who just so happens to be on parole."

That shut her up instantly. Sam turned to her in surprise. "It was nothing big Sam." She told him.

"Oh? Grand Theft Auto isn't big?" Simmons sneered at her. "And that reject father she has got her in on it too-"

"Can you cut the crappy little **'I'm a big man with a badge'** shit already and tell us why we're here?" I interrupted him as Mikeala's face erupted into an expression of anger and hurt. She gave me a grateful look to which I just smirked and nodded.

Simmons looked at me for a brief moment. "What do you kids know about aliens?"

Sam floundered like an idiot as usual so I answered quickly. "I've seen E.T. if that means anything." I offered helpfully.

"Hahaha you're a real joker aren't you?" He fake laughed at me, then the badge was suddenly in our faces again. "Here's the **'do what I want and get away with it badge'**... start talking."

"Don't listen to him Sam." Mikeala glared at Simmons. "He's just pissy because he has to get back to guarding the mall."

Simmons glared back at her as I laughed at his expense. "I can easily arrange for your father to never get out of prison missy. Would you like that?"

"Someone needs to get laid." I sang obnoxiously. Honestly, we needed to get out of here or else Mikeala and I were going to punch Simmons right in that aquiline nose of his.

His gaze whipped back in my direction. "You, girly, are pushing it."

I opened my mouth to tell him off again when I felt another large swell of electric energy wash over me. My mouth curved into a condescending smirk. "No I think that it's you who's pushing your luck." I told him.

"Who do you think you-" The truck suddenly jerked as large hands dug into the roof and started ripping at it. Simmons yelled out as he ducked down to cover his head against the glass shattering around us.

The roof was ripped free from the truck, revealing Optimus standing there. The impressive Autobot leader tossed the shredded roof of the truck aside carelessly.

"Oooh, you asswads are in big trouble now." I giggled and waved to Optimus. "HI OPTIMUS!"

"Simmons I would like you to meet our friend Optimus Prime." Sam introduced with a wicked grin. Oooh Sammy was enjoying watching Simmons squirm. Good on ya mate!

"Taking the children was a bad move." Optimus growled out. "Autobots, relieve them of their weapons." He commanded.

I whipped around in time to see the other Autobots jump off of a bridge nearby. Soldiers gathered around us defensively, trying to surround them while pointing their weapons towards the metal men. It's funny that as soon as giant robots returned the favor towards the humans they look ready to shit themselves.

"Whoa whoa!" Simmons yelled with his hands held up in a motion of surrender.

Each and every gun the men held suddenly went flying straight from their hands into Jazz's, leaving them all defenseless and scared as hell.

"That is so fucking cool!" I shouted in awe earning myself a smirk from Jazz. He didn't actually say anything though which was disappointing.

Optimus kneeling down in front of Simmons finally caught my attention. Ooooh I wanted to see the little jerkoff shaking like a leaf in fear.

"Hi there." Simmons greeted in a strained tone.

Optimus peered at him intently. "You don't seem afraid." His optics shot over to me briefly before returning to Simmons again. What was that all about? "Are you not surprised to see us here?"

"Uhhh, that goes against S7 protocols. I'm only authorized to communicate with you except to tell you that I can't communicate with you, okay?" Simmons told him.

Optimus frowned at him. "Get out of the car."

"Ok. Ok. No need to get angry." Simmons told him.

Optimus only growled. "Now!"

That got Simmons moving quickly.

Sam, Mikeala, and I stepped out of the car too as Mikeala hurried to help us out of our handcuffs. "So you're good with handcuffs now too huh?" Sam muttered.

I glared at him and smacked him so hard in the back of the head that he fell onto the concrete. "Don't be such an ass Sam!"

He scrambled up and turned, completely ignoring me, to look at Mikeala who was looking at him with hurt in her eyes. "Sam I have a record because I wouldn't turn my dad in. When have you ever had to sacrifice something in your perfect little life?"

"Never." I agreed with her.

The expression on Sam's face changed slightly. "I'm sorry Mikeala... I didn't know." He told her.

"Sure." She smiled softly at him. "Let's go back to Robocar." She turned and winked at me making me grin at her. Together the three of us walked over to where Simmons was being interrogated by the Autobots. Sam got in his face with Mikeala while I walked over to where Sideswipe was standing. He had these wicked blades attached to his wrists.

"Dude, I thought that it couldn't get cooler than the whole electro hand thingy that Jazz did." I looked up at him in awe. "So cool."

He grinned at me.

Before I could say anything else Bee, who was standing between Sideswipe and Optimus, popped something out of his crotch. I looked at him weirdly as a stream of liquid shot past me, soaking Simmons. "Are you pissing on him?" I asked, trying not to laugh.

"Bumblebee, stop lubricating the man." Optimus chastised him.

"Nononono! Keep pissing on him!" I whispered conspiratorially, nudging Bee's foot to make sure that he was paying attention to me. He chirped down at me brightly in response. However, he did stop, much to my displeasure, after Optimus gave him a stern reprimanding look.

"So sad." I sighed in defeat. By now Sam and Mikeala were handcuffing the men up in a line on their knees, and it only got better...

Mikeala walked around Simmons like she meant business. "Alright big guy take it off." She stopped in front of him expectantly.

"Take what off?"

"Your clothes." She smiled sickly sweet at him. "I'm going to teach you not to talk shit about my dad."

I couldn't help but to snort out a laugh when he actually listened to her and stripped his suit jacket, shirt, and pants off. And my laughter only grew when I saw what he was wearing underneath! A white superman beater, and some aloha Hawaii shorts. I busted out laughing and snapped a quick picture on my phone before scrolling through my songs for one that just fit the situation entirely.

_**"Raindrops keep falling on my head. And just like the guy whose feet are too big for his bed. Nothing seems to raindrops are falling on my head. They keep fallin'. So I just did me some talkin' to the sun. And I said I didn't like the way he got things done. Sleepin' on the job. These raindrops keep falling on my head They keep fallin'."**_

Simmons whipped in my direction with an intense glare. "YOU ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO JAIL MISSY! I'VE HAD ABOUT ENOUGH OF YOUR WISE CRACKS!" Yeah, real convincing and scary when he was being handcuffed to a pole in aloha Hawaii boxers by a teenager girl.

"Yeah sure. Come find me whenever you get out of those handcuffs Simmybear." I did turn the song off when Optimus shook his head at me. So fucking tragic I swear! Carefully slipping my phone into my hoodie pocket I stood next to Bee and Sideswipe.

"I'm going to hunt you down." He threatened me.

"Good luck. I'll give you my address if you want it. It's 1-8-8-you're a fucking tool-Street." I quipped sarcastically.

Sam and Mikeala walked over towards us. "We are so going to get along!" Mikeala grinned at me.

"Call me crazy but I think you're right. I was worried that you were a total preppy bitch! How glad am I that I was wrong!" We grinned at each other brightly; at least until the sound of more tires screeching was heard. What was up with everyone going over the speed limit anyways? More darkly tinted trucks sped down the street towards us, but that's not all. Oh no. They had helicopters flying above them as back up!

"Optimus incoming!" Ironhide shouted as he slammed his cannon into the ground and fired it, causing an energy burst to race through the earth towards the incoming vehicles. It somehow, don't ask me why, made all of their tires pop.

The others all shifted down to car mode and took off, with the exceptions of Optimus and Sideswipe, the latter opening his passenger door for me. I quickly stepped in and we took off; leaving Sam and Mikeala with Optimus who picked them up in his hand. I didn't see what happened after that because Sideswipe turned the corner with his asshole brother right beside us.

"Why do you have the organic in you?" Sunstreaker's dark, sexy, yet irritating voice came through the speakers.

"Because I was closest to her." Sideswipe responded.

I piped in playfully to irritate Sunstreaker. "Because he likes me!" I sang.

"That too." Sideswipe laughed. "Aww come on Sunny, she's cool for a human."

I sat there in confusion for a moment because I hadn't heard Sunstreaker talk. Weird. Then I caught what Sideswipe had said about me. With a huff I crossed my arms over my chest and kicked at his dashboard.

Sideswipe swerved before regaining control. "What was that for?"

"Hmph! Pretty cool for a human? Bitch I'm cooler than the other side of the pillow!" I snapped my fingers at him. "Mmm hmmm!"

"The other side of the pillow?" He echoed in confusion.

"Family Guy reference. Anyways, you know that I'm awesome!" This was probably not the best time or place to be having an argument with a giant robotic alien, but I was never known for having a good attention span.

"You are." He agreed as he sped up to avoid being seen by a helicopter. We drove down into one of the drain off things that ran underneath a bridge. Ahead of us I could see Optimus hiding in the underside of the bridge. Bee was driving towards him from the opposite direction.

I focused in on something dangling precariously from Optimus… or more like someone... "Holy ballcakes, is that Sam and Mikeala?!" Even though my question was more rhetorical Sunstreaker, that ass, decided to answer me.

"What does it look like Squishy?"

I didn't answer him. I wouldn't answer him until he referred to me by name. Not that I had really heard him because as soon as he started speaking Sam and Mikeala went free falling towards the ground. "SAM!" I screamed, in fear that he would die.

Optimus tried to slow their fall with his foot but completely failed as they bounced off, and at that height they were going to be killed...

I almost covered my eyes as I watched the only brother I ever had plummeting to his death, only to perk up in disbelief when a flash of yellow and black caught them mid fall. Oh my god I was so going to kiss Bee senseless when I saw him next! In fact!

Since we were so close I hopped out of Sideswipe and sprinted over to where Sam was standing with Mikeala and Bee. Sam opened his arms for a presumed hug but I bypassed them; waving Bee down to my level where I kept my self-made promise and kissed his metal cheeks senseless! "If you want a wash or even a wax when we get home just ask okay? I owe you for saving Sammy double whammy!" I wiped at my eyes which had tears gathering in the edges. Bee only chirped at me and caught the single tear trailing down my cheek. "It's nothing Bee... I'm just happy."

Without waiting for a response I turned and tackled Sam in a hug. Then I reared back and punched him so hard that he hit the ground. "You asshole! How dare you make me worry like that?!"

"Oww... Amazon." Sam clutched at his rapidly bruising cheek and whimpered. He looked up at me to say something when his eyes suddenly widened in shock towards something over my shoulder.

I whipped around in time to see a wire cable, attached to a harpoon of sorts, wrap itself around Bee's arm. "BEE!"

Another was fired from a different helicopter a small ways away; the momentum forced Bee to scramble around in a circle. "STOP! STOP!" Sam yelled. "He's not fighting back!"

They didn't listen to us. They shot several more harpoons at Bee until he was forced to the ground. When I looked back over Sideswipe and Sunstreaker for help they were gone, making me want to curse them out for being chickens. Instead I ran around Bee's head and clutched at it as he whined in obvious pain. "Leave Bee alone assholes!" We were surrounded by trucks and helicopters, men with guns taking aim at us. They forced Sam and Mikeala to their knees and ordered me to leave Bee and do the same, only I refused to let go. "No! He didn't do anything!" I protested. One of the men grabbed onto me and tried to tug me back but I resisted, easily shrugging him off. Bee had saved Sam! I wasn't going to leave him alone!

At least I didn't intend to but a sharp, painful burning sensation in the base of my skull erupted into an excruciating shocking sensation. It took me to my knees, then to my stomach as I fell beside Bee's head. He looked at me worriedly, chirping and whirring in distress.

Everything started going black, and my body was dragged away. The last thing I saw was the humans spraying him with something making his thrashing and whirring increase in volume. Then everything went dark…

* * *

A dull beeping in my ears was the first thing that I noticed upon waking up. The second was that I could not move and I felt strangely cold. I opened my eyes, taking in the bright white ceiling first through groggy, muddled vision. I blinked the fog away and tugged at my wrists to try and move, but they were restrained with strong metal restraints. Why? My arms and legs were bare; the pale blue markings littering every inch of my left side exposed.

It unsettled me. Why was I here? Where were Sam and Bee? Why was I practically naked? My left arm burned for some reason, but I couldn't see why. The longer I sat there the more the sensation grew.

At first it was just a slight burning, and then it gradually worked up to a strong, fire like sensation. It started working its way from my arm all the way down my left side, making me bite my lip to keep from screaming. This had never happened to me before. Not once.

I tried to tell myself that it was all in my head, that the pain wasn't real. But the more I told myself that, the more agony I felt.

The door to the room I was being held in slid open revealing Simmons along with several men ranging from what looked to be doctors, to soldiers. The worst part about this whole situation was the smug look on Simmons' face. He approached my bed on my left side, touching my exposed markings. "Where did you get these girly?"

"Dunno." I gritted out through the pain.

"Do you know what these symbols are?"

"A tattoo?" I guessed in a pain filled tone. The burning was only getting worse; pulsing in time to the dull beeping invading my ears.

"Is it a tattoo?" Simmons leered at me.

"I was told that it was. My real parents supposedly branded me with it before dumping me on the steps of my Aunt and Uncle's house." A short panting gasp left my mouth as the pain spiked again. Higher and higher... hotter. A bead of sweat leaked down from my brow to my cheek then lower to my chin. It felt like I was burning alive.

"Hmmm..." He poked at one of the thin wisps of blue connecting two marks near my elbow. Without looking away, he called one of the doctors over to me. "I want a full check done. Report anything of importance to me."

Simmons left the room leaving me with the soldiers and several doctors, tools like scalpels and clamps being arranged by the men in white. Fear welled up inside of me as one approached me with a needle full of what was probably a sedative. He injected it into my left arm making me cry out as I felt the liquid seeping through my muscle, making my limb start spazzing.

I thrashed my head from side to side; my body seizing violently. The fire seemed to grow until it felt like it was literally burning through my skin. It didn't take me long to realize that small wisps of smoke were floating up around me, the burning easing just slightly from it.

Gradually it dulled down to a pained throbbing, similar to when someone gets punched. Well if they couldn't sedate me then they couldn't experiment on me… right?

"We'll have to do it without medication." One of the men informed the others.

Wrong I guess. I struggled harder against my restraints to no avail. Gulping I lay there helpless as the men descended on me. Help me.

* * *

**(Time skip- One hour)**

I lay there, scalpels cutting through the marks on my arm, leg, and side. Dark red blood spilled from the wounds, looking the same each time they cut into me. What did they expect to find? Human blood in human flesh was all there was.

Fear was starting to give way to anger the longer I lay here being dissected. The pain coursed through me, adding to the sensation of burning in my left side. I tried not to make a sound but pained whimpers escaped me, despite my best efforts to hold them in. It felt like something was pulling me in different directions from within; the burning increasing with each tug.

Something dug deep, making me actually release a startled yelp as an even more intense pain shot straight through me. Sweat beaded at my brow making my skin slick and disgusting. I didn't know how much more I can take.

Thankfully fate deemed that I wouldn't have to take this anymore. It sent a savior in the form of a familiar yellow and black bot crashing in through the wall to the right of me. Sam and Mikeala were nestled on his shoulders securely and a plethora of soldiers, as well as Simmons, trailed after them.

"Let the girl go." Simmons ordered, looking none too happy about saying it either.

I let out a sigh of relief as the men listened and released me from my restraints. Sitting up I swung my fist at the nearest man, clocking him right in the face, sending him sprawling onto the ground. "Asswad!" I hissed dangerously, but damn was I in a really foul mood now. I held my arm up to the 'doctors' and raised a brow at them. "Are any of you jackwads going to patch your hack job?"

Sam was looking at my arm and leg being completely grossed out and horrified, only serving to piss me off more. "What the hell did they do to your arm and leg?!" He squeaked.

As one of the men came forward to do a quick bandage job I busied myself with glaring at Simmons. "Apparently Simmons there thinks that a tribal tattoo is some sort of alien writing. He decided to have my tattoo cut open in a pointless search for some alien tech or something. TOO BAD I'M HUMAN!" I raised my voice and smacked the guy that had patched me up across the face as soon as he was finished. "Asshole." My feet hit the ground after a small hop from the bed. Once I was steady I walked over to pat Bee's leg. "You okay Bee?"

He chirped at me with a slight distressed whir. _**"You've had a bad day! You've taken one down! You sing a sad song just to turn it around!"**_ Came playing from his speakers.

Well he was right about one thing today hadn't been a good day... or was it yesterday and today? I had no idea how long I had been here. "So what's going on? What's the plan?"

Sam gestured for Bee to sit him and Mikeala down and that was when I first noticed something in Sam's arms. Was that... a cube thing? "They had the Allspark here and a frozen Megatron! The main power went out which means that he's going to thaw, we have to get as far away as possible and find Optimus."

Through his little speech I was busy staring mesmerized at the cube in his arms... the Allspark. I could feel some strange and potent energy emanating from it. Just looking at it stirred something within me, making me want to reach out and touch it. Before I even realized what I was doing I had lifted my left hand and made contract with the smooth glyph covered surface. Almost immediately a pulse of strong blue energy shot into my arm making the burning briefly intensify... before fading into nothingness.

"Clare... your marks are glowing."

Sam's whispered words prompted me to look down at my markings. They were indeed glowing an almost opaque blue, and that wasn't all. The energy seemed to push out from my markings and surround me in a pale blue glow. It made me feel an excess of life and vitality... like I could run laps around the earth in seconds! Even crossing over the oceans! Bee was staring at the mystic glow in shock.

"I don't mean to break up the little light show, but we do need to get to Mission City to meet up with your friends." A man dressed in a military getup interrupted us.

"That's Will Lennox." Sam introduced us. "He helped us convince Simmons to let you and Bee free."

"Hmmm." I let my hands drop abruptly, cutting off the energy flow and now feeling a bit different. "Well then let's go."

"We'll set up a protective perimeter around Bumblebee here and escort you to Mission City." Lennox told us.

We all nodded and climbed into Bee who had transformed for us. He pulled out into a hangar and we waited for Lennox and his men to catch up and mount some military ground vehicles. They almost looked like buggies except with giant turrets on top. Oooh, I wanted to take one so that I could terrorize Sam in the backyard.

It was really cold in the Camaro too; I looked down wondering why when... oh. "Mikeala can I borrow that jacket?"

She turned to me and gave me a sympathetic look before shedding her jacket and handing it to me.

"Thanks." I slipped it on as Bee pulled out onto the road with Lennox and his men following us. We drove in relative silence, with Sam fussing over putting the Allspark in a seatbelt for safety, until we reached the highway where we were joined by the rest of the Autobots... and unfortunately the Decepticons.

The Autobots formed a protective barrier behind us to block the Cons out as best they could. It seemed to be somewhat ineffective because a military minesweeping vehicle swerved around the centerline and transformed into a pretty large bot. He, for some reason, decided to just slam his way through a bus making the damn thing explode in his pursuit to get to us. "I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but there's a psychotic asswad chasing us like a fat man chases Twinkies."

No one even bothered giving me a weird look anymore.

Suddenly Optimus transformed; turning to stop the pursing Con only to get tackled off the bridge by the psycho Twinkie chaser. "Never mind Optimus is taking care of it."

Soon enough we reached the city where Bee let us out. The other bots pulled up near us while we all waited for the air support that Lennox was trying to call in. I looked up upon hearing a jet engine to see an F-22 flying between the buildings. Now I'm not an expert but I don't think human pilots working for the military fly below buildings.

Then Ironhide just had to go and confirm my suspicions like the jerk he was. "It's Starscream! Bumblebee!" He gestured for Bee to follow him so that they could raise a large truck as a shield of sorts as Star...whatever decided to fire missiles at us.

It proved to be pretty ineffective because it hit the truck and sent debris flying, the force sending us to the ground. My head hit the asphalt with a loud smack, surprisingly not cracking it open like I expected it to. However, it did make my vision swim like crazy along with the killer headache I now had.

"Bee!"

I forced myself up as soon as I heard Sam's panicked voice, my own heart stopping when I saw Bumblebee without his legs... crawling towards us.

"Bee!" I jumped up and sprinted over to him, pushing Jazz's car form back so that there was room for Bee to move. "Bee you're going to be okay, alright?"

He whirred at me holding the cube out for us to take, but I refused. I was so scared that if I did take it he would die, that it would be the end of him. Sam calling out for Ratchet registered in my ears, but the rest of the Autobots were already fighting Cons that had landed near us. Only Jazz stayed close for now.

Gulping heavily with tears stinging at my eyes, I stood up and walked around to the torn remains of Bee's legs. I don't know what was driving me to do it; it was something unexplainable, like when you have that feeling in the pit of your stomach that you have to do something. So I didn't fight the pull, I let it guide me without question. Things almost seemed muddled, my hand reaching out with marks glowing pale blue again I touched Bee's leg, completely ignorant to what I was doing and the fact that someone could see it.

The glow grew to envelop Bee's shredded legs, seeping from me into him, rendering a shrill screeching of metal from the ripped remains there. I heard Bee whir in distress vaguely, but I couldn't break out of my daze to do anything about it.

I stood there touching Bee, letting the light seep into him as the metal started to regrow down along with the joint, and finally to the rest of the leg. The same blue glow encompassed the other leg, reconnecting it as well. It wasn't painful for me; in fact, it felt good like I was finally doing something I was meant to do.

Coming out of my trance I blinked rapidly and looked down at what I had done. Had I just somehow regrown Bee's legs? How? Did touching the Allspark have something to do with it?

Bee stood up on his new legs looking at me in awe, or at least that was what it looked like. His head suddenly whipped to the side where Jazz had been only for said bot to no longer be there. I followed Bee's gaze, catching sight of Jazz in the hands of Megatron on top of a nearby building. More like his legs were being held in one hand and his arms were being held in the other as Megatron slowly wrenching him in half. "Bee do something!"

My scream seemed to snap Bee out of it as he raised a cannon before firing it at Megatron, clipping him in the shoulder and making him release Jazz. The small silver form fell between two buildings as the huge silver bot roared and lunged at us.

A flash of red and blue tackled him mid-air, knocking the warlord away from us. Instead of paying attention to them, I sprinted over to where I had seen Jazz fall, kneeling beside him. All that I could focus on was the tear in his stomach, bordering on ripping him in half.

His sky blue eyes watched me dully and in pain. "Wha'cha up ta lil lady?" He murmured.

"I don't know." I wanted to help him, and I knew I could, but I didn't know how!

"It ain' safe 'ere femme. Ya shoul' get outta 'ere." He told me quietly.

"Hush." I shushed him. My eyes drifted down to my sleeve covered arm that obscured my marks from view. If I could help Bee, then I could help Jazz right? All I had to do was touch Bee and it worked. I had wanted to help him more than anything. Looking back up at Jazz's flickering eyes I nodded to myself steeling my resolve. "I'm going to try and help you ok? Just stay still."

He didn't say anything.

I took that as a bad sign especially when his eyes flashed once more, lasting longer than the last few times. Quickly I reached out for the gaping wound that was leaking a blue liquid, his blood, before touching it and willing the strange energy to come forth again.

It came as another swell of intense heat that coursed through my marks again. The blue power flowed out from my symbols and spread across Jazz's broken frame. My eyes trailed over the wound as the metal groaned seeming to come alive and move towards the other side. Jazz just stared at it through dim optics, but he didn't seem to be in as much pain anymore which was good.

The wound finally closed the gap and melded together leaving not even a tiny mark behind. I let my hand fall again, my breath leaving me in a gasping pant. Damn I was tired. My body just wasn't used to this energy...

"Jazz!" A familiar roguish voice called out. Two forms came barreling around the corner of the alleyway we were in, one red and one gold. Said bot sat up, hands rubbing at the place where he had been wounded, his eyes locked on me. Sideswipe came over and knelt down next to us while his brother sneered at me. "You alright?"

"Yeah ah'm fine Sides... t'anks ta Clare 'ere."

Sideswipe looked towards me as if he had just noticed me for the first time. "Are you okay Clare?"

"Fine." I stood up on shaky legs, worn down like how some people described having felt after running a mile in school. Never before had I ever felt winded, or out of energy... I actually had to grab onto Jazz's leg to steady myself. Thankfully he let me without complaint.

"Ya shoul' take it easy lil lady." Jazz soothed me in a gentle tone. "Ya are probably tired afta healin' meh."

"Healing you?" Sideswipe questioned, optics trained on me again.

"We'll talk 'bout it late' Sides. For no' we gotta get goin'." Jazz scooped me up much to my surprise and deposited me on his shoulder. "Ah owe ya for savin meh lil lady."

I clutched at his audio tightly, feeling the powerful machinery underneath me shifting as he stood. "Not really." I murmured quietly.

Jazz looked at me seriously. "Ah do owe ya an' ah will pay ya back some'ow, but for no' ah need ya ta hold onta meh tight in case some'hin goes down. Can ya do dat for meh?"

"Yeah." A thought occurred to me now that I wasn't panicking over Jazz dying. "Where is Sam?"

"Don't worry Clare, Optimus is going after him and Bee is with him. He'll be ok." Sideswipe stood from his crouch and stretched. "There's still Starscream and Barricade to worry about. Ironhide and Ratchet were working on keeping them busy for now. We just took out Brawl so he's down for the count, other than that I think it's just Blackout unaccounted for."

Jazz nodded and together the three bots peered out from around the edge of the building we were hiding behind carefully. Everywhere humans were running around screaming and explosions were going off. Guns firing could be heard, but there were no Cons in sight. They must have felt that it was safe because they all rushed out from behind the building, running towards where the sound of massive cannon fire could be heard. I assumed that it was Ironhide.

When his massive black form came into view I knew that the explosions were, in fact, coming from him as I saw his cannons level an entire building in one well-placed shot. "He's a little trigger happy." I muttered. Jazz's chuckle shook my body.

"Dat 'e is lil lady. Bu' he wouldn' be ole Hide if 'e wasn' trigger happy."

I opened my mouth to comment, that while I thought it was cool it wasn't always such a good thing, unfortunately a well-placed sneak attack from a hulking Con with helicopter blades tucked down against his back sent me flying through the air. It was so sudden that I couldn't even pull in air fast enough to scream, but I still heard Jazz's startled shout of my name. My eyes slammed shut, my body bracing to hit the ground, but at the last second something soft wrapped around me preventing me from landing with a splat.

An owl would probably be jealous of how wide my eyes were when they popped open to catch the sight of Sunstreaker of all bots saving my ass. Huh, I thought that he would rather watch me become a flesh pancake, but here he was, cradling me in his hand safely. He sat me down on his shoulder and snarled at the mech that had tackled Jazz. "Fragging Blackout! Fragging squishies with their propensity for getting in the way!" This comment was obviously directed at me.

My earlier thoughts that maybe he wasn't so bad died in a fiery storm of disdain. He was a total asswad. Jazz was fending off Blackout, as Sunstreaker called him, but as soon as Sideswipe joined the fray he turned tail and ran off leaving us staring after him. "What a pussy." My comment earned me a narrow eyed gaze from Sunstreaker. "What? He ran away like a little bitch!"

Sunstreaker didn't answer me instead he handed me off to Jazz as soon as he was within touching distance. "Take your organic." He spat.

"The fuck did you just call me?!" I raged from within Jazz's hand. "You colossal asswad! You must suffer from little penis syndrome or something if you have to pick on those smaller than you!"

"Penis...?" Sunstreaker scowled. His eyes dimmed briefly before his expression morphed to one of rage. "My spike is the opposite of small squishy!" He raged.

"I bet it is! I bet that you have a superiority and inferiority complex! Trying to make yourself seem big and bad to make up for what you're lacking down south? You poor, poor little dicked thing." I mocked him. Damn he knew how to piss me off!

Sideswipe got in between us before I could get stomped on by Sunstreaker. "Cool it Sunny!" He shoved his brother back slightly to put some distance between the two of us. "We're in the middle of a battlefield right now! We should be looking out for each other, not fighting!"

"He started it." I pouted.

Sunstreaker looked affronted. "I did not!"

"Enough!" Jazz snapped making both of us fall silent. "We need ta back up Hide an' Ratchet unti' Optimus finishes ole Megsy. Dat means stop eggin' lil lady on Sunstreaker!"

"She started it!" Sunstreaker scowled.

Sideswipe snickered at his brother. "Drop it Sunny."

Luckily Sunstreaker did drop it after giving me a nasty glare, one which I returned. I flipped him off when he turned to help Ironhide defeat Starscream. "Asswad." Sideswipe staring at me caught my attention. "What?"

"I think he secretly likes you."

"I think he's secretly confused about his sexual orientation and that's why he's so troubled." I quipped sarcastically.

Sideswipe only shook his head and ran over to engage Robocop, or what must actually be Barricade if my deductions were right. There were only a few Decepticons left, two of which were dead. Yet since I was introduced to Blackout, Megatron, and Starscream **(the kind of twitchy one that Ironhide was still shooting at)**, that only really left Barricade. So that's what I was going to call Robocop.

That left me sitting on Jazz's shoulder, watching as the fight goes down.

It seemed as if the moment Sunstreaker and Sideswipe jumped into the fray the Decepticons suddenly withdrew. Starscream did manage to get off one last missile as he retreated; only it flew way over Ironhide and Sunstreaker's heads and shot straight towards Jazz and I. "Oh hell!"

Jazz ducked narrowly avoiding the blast. However, the slipstream caught me and tore me off of his shoulder only this time there was no one to catch my body before it slammed into the ground. I wasn't as lucky this time because I managed to hit a large pile of debris. Something tore into my shoulder painfully, sending agony lancing through me again...

Then everything went dark.

* * *

**(Sideswipe's POV)**

I rushed over to where Clare had hit the ground, far too hard for a human to survive and I didn't expect her to be alive. Optimus' voice rang out through the comms, informing us that the fighting was over with because Megatron was offlined by Sam. I barely paid attention as Jazz and I knelt down next to Clare's still form.

Jazz gently reached for her with an unreadable expression on his face, a hesitant digit touching the large pipe sticking out of the left side of her chest. She didn't move for a moment.

She was dead. For some reason this bothered me more than any other Bot's death I had seen. She was just an innocent human thrust into an alien war... none of it was her fault. The others came over to stand behind us, looking down at the small form laying there unmoving. A servo grasped my shoulder tightly.

**(You alright Sides?)**

I just shook my helm. **(She didn't deserve to die like this Sunny.)**

Sunny's conflicted emotions washed over our bond, informing me that he was angry because Clare dying affected him at all. His emotions shifted...

And then stalled as something completely unexpected and... impossible happened. Just as Optimus walked over to stand beside us with Sam and his female held safely in his servos... a small spark jumped from where the pipe was protruding from Clare's chest. Just seeing it drowned out Sam's pained cry once he realized that the body we were all kneeling around was his cousin's.

Another flare shot up from the wound as Clare shifted causing a series of sparks to shoot from her. She groaned as her optics flickered open slightly.

"That's not possible." Ratchet whispered.

She twitched allowing all of us to hear the sound of relays crunching together. Apparently she couldn't move with the pipe lodged in her shoulder so Jazz pinched it between his digits and pulled it free. Clare's whimper echoing across the dead silence.

Blue and red droplets dribbled down the pipe... Energon and human blood?

She seemed not to realize what was going on, being too dazed from her injuries, but all I could think as I looked down at her was...

What are you?

* * *

R&amp;R! Edited 6/7/16 I'm leaving the former reviews the same!

**Izzy-dragon-rider-** I'm glad you like Clare's character because she came out sounding just like I planned her to when I was brainstorming this story! As for her not making a comment about Ironhide's cannons well she was like pfft shoot Sam not me he's the idiot! Lol thanks for the review.

**Guest-** Thanks! There will be a lot more to come!

**lil-b-** Thanks!

**XxMichelleMikaelsonxX-** I definitely did want to make it a good bit different than the movies at certain parts! There are also going to be a lot of fillers between movies as well! Look forward to it!

**HeartsGuardianSol-** Thanks for always reviewing for my stories! I hope you like this one!

**himelove22-** Thanks!

**OptimusPrimegirl213-** :D I love the twins! And I definitely will keep up the good work.

**Erin Primette-** Complete coincidence. Thanks for the review though!


	3. Chapter 3

Thanks to DawnofShadows256 for helping edit this chapter! Anyways I won't go on about details because you've all probably read this already! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

When I came to I was laying on something very firm, yet strangely soft, like a fluffy blanket of some kind. I probably fell off my bed onto the floor in my room again. At least that was what I thought... until I opened my eyes and looked around. I was in what seemed to be an old warehouse of sorts. "What the hell?" I groaned and tried to sit up.

Large hands pushed me back down before I could even remotely succeed in doing that. Looking up I noticed that it was Ratchet looking down at me with a scolding expression on his face. "You need to lay down femme." He told me in a stern voice.

I noticed several other bots gathered around, Bee and Jazz being the closest. Sam was sitting on Bee's right shoulder and Mikeala was sitting on his left, but it was the look they were giving me that really tugged at my patience. "What? What's the look for Sam? I just woke up so I couldn't have done anything stupid yet."

He gestured for Bee to sit him down on the thing I was laying on...which, strangely enough, looked like a slab one would find in the morgue. He hopped up next to me so that he was facing me, a relieved yet troubled look on his face. We just sat there staring at each other for what seemed like forever and, just when I thought that he wasn't going to say anything, he opened his mouth. What he told me next convinced me that he had gotten high off of licking a toad. "Clare... I don't really know how to tell you this but... you're a... a robot."

My eyes widened and I promptly busted out laughing so hard that I thought that I was going to piss myself. "Sam that's the single dumbest fucking thing you have ever said! Did you just lick one of those hypno toads or something? Or did you find Aunt Judy's pot stash that Uncle Ron doesn't know about?" He didn't respond and I quickly found my laughter dying down. No one was even saying anything to him, not telling him that he was weird or that it wasn't possible. Everyone just looked solemn and serious. "Ok what the hell is everyone on and can I have some? People don't just become robots Sam! I was sitting in the kitchen with you two days ago eating chicken teriyaki and shit! If I was a robot would I do that crap?!" My body flushed with anger.

Sam looked away from me and at the floor. "I don't know Clare; all I know is what I saw. You're definitely not human though."

The feeling of being abandoned and rejected tore through me at his blatant refusal to look at me again. It only made me angrier than I already was. "What is wrong with you?! Did you get on the happy train and fly off to the fucking moon or something? Jesus Sam you sound insane!"

That got him to look at me, albeit in surprise and frustration. "I'm insane?! You're a fucking robot who doesn't even know you're a robot!"

"I AM NOT A FUCKING ROBOT!" I shrieked at him.

"Actually you are an autonomous robotic organism." Ratchet's voice tore my attention away from watching steam blow out of Sam's ears. "Only you are covered in a living human flesh and blood for some reason that I cannot quite figure out yet. Pit, you even have human pain receptors in your skin!"

I jumped down from the slab thingy I was on and pointed an accusing finger at Ratchet. "You put this shit in his head?!"

Ratchet sighed, most likely in exasperation or irritation. "Femme I did nothing of the sort, and you would know this if you would only look under that bandage on your chest."

Bandage? What bandage? I stood there in confusion for a moment before my eyes drifted down to a large bandage covering my front. My hands reached for it and quickly pulled it aside so that I could see; I nearly pissed myself when I did. A gaping wound sat there, dead center, on the left side of my chest, but that's not what really brought me up short... the wires and torn metal plating clearly showing tucked in under torn and loose human skin and flesh... that's what freaked me out. All I could say and do was one thing.

Tears filled my eyes as I turned and tackled Sam in a death hug. "SAM I'M A TERMINATOR!" I cried.

I could hear him sigh clearly. "You're not a terminator Clare; you still have your own individual thought patterns and emotions. Ratchet says that you're still Clare even if we now know that you're a robot."

"She's not a robot organic." Sunstreaker growled, drawing our attention to him. "She's an autonomous robotic organism. That's a lot different from being a sparkless, obedient piece of scrap."

"That's right!" Sideswipe piped up cheerfully. "She's fully sentient! Just like everybot else in this room!"

"Of course I am! Could a plain old robot be as cool as me?" I sniffled and wiped my nose on Sam's shirt making him squeak something that sounded like **'eww gross!'** Sitting up fully, I shifted to the side and plopped my ass back on the bed thing. Sam sat up too and wrapped his arm around me in an awkward shoulder hug. "So I can't say **'come with me if you want to live'** in an Arnold voice because I'm not a terminator?"

"Clare... you said that anyways when we thought you were human. What's stopping you now?" Sam shook his head at me with a small grin playing at the edges of his mouth.

"I just don't understand! I have human bodily functions like periods and shit! How come that happens if I'm a... well I don't know what to call myself since everyone else gets offended when the word robot gets mentioned." I sniffled quietly.

With a sigh Ratchet shifted to sit on the floor in front of me, meaning that whatever he was going to say would probably take a while. "Clare let me explain what I know so far, alright?"

I nodded at him.

"When I treated your wound I noticed several things, via observation and scans, the first being that the human flesh and blood covering you possesses a human genetic coding closely related to Sam's DNA. This means that the human aspects of you are, in fact, from a relative of Sam's." He told me with a calming smile. "You must have somehow adapted without knowing it, absorbing the DNA of those around you in order to better hide yourself." Ratchet continued.

"How would I even do that? Yesterday I thought I was a normal teenage girl!"

Ratchet narrowed his eyes at me. "I never said that it was a conscious act on your part Clare. We Cybertronians, that is what you can now call yourself," he added as an afterthought. "Are very adaptable. Our protoforms and nanites can easily change to fit new environments to increase our chances of survival, and you, young femme, are no different. It was most likely not something that you consciously did, as I have said. You must have acquired the DNA signature from those who were most important to you, or who you spent the most time with. That is at least one theory that I have, but this is just speculation. I do not know how you came to be here or how you formed into what you are, and I fear that we may never truly understand. What I do know is that your internal systems are similar in function to ours, with some slight differences that helped you survive here."

"Like what?" Shrugging Sam's arm off, I shifted to pull the green blanket onto my shoulders to ward off the cold chill I felt.

"Well you have an energy converter located just below your spark chamber. This allows you to ingest human food items, like water and this chicken teriyaki that you spoke of, to convert it into an energon source. Eventually the energon is used to fuel the spark in your chest, your circuits, and other vital processes. What really astounds me is that you are almost fully developed for such a young age! Usually femmes are not of breeding or bonding age until they are roughly ten thousand years old at the very least! But here you sit at a mere sixteen years of age, fully ready to sparkbond and reproduce."

"Yeah but you guys lost your Allspark so you can't make more Cybertronians right?" Sadness hit me pretty hard when I realized that I was now in the category of beings that could never have a family of their own with the one they loved.

"That is true." Ratchet frowned at me. "Perhaps one day we could find another way Clare... it is possible. For now, what is most important is that we are all healthy, and we have found an actual femme bot in the last place that we ever expected."

The way he said that sounded funny to me. "You say that like there aren't any other... femmes," I tested the word slowly on my tongue. "Out there."

"There are very few. Most were killed off by the Decepticons in the war at Megatron's behest. He felt that by cutting off our way of reproducing, via the Allspark and femme bots, that he could win the war. It was also a form of revenge for him and his followers."

Sam cut in at this point. "Does that mean that if they find out what Clare is they'll try to kill her?" His eyes shot over to me, an immensely worried look residing in them.

"Yes it does. If the Decepticons were to find out about her existence they would come for her and try to terminate her." The answer came from Optimus and not Ratchet, our attention switching to him immediately. "Megatron may be offline but his followers still remain, and they will continue to carry out his orders after his death. This puts Clare in danger should they discover her." Sam shifted closer to me, almost protectively, while all I could do was stare at the large red and blue bot as he knelt in front of me. "That is why I believe that it would be best to have her come and stay with us in the new base the human military are going to provide. We can better protect her this way."

The thought of being separated from my family made my heart…spark… jump in anxiety and fear. Before I even knew what I was doing I was shaking my head no. "Uh uh! I'm staying with Sam and my Aunt and Uncle."

"Bee is staying with me." Sam told him. "Wouldn't it be okay as long as he was there to look out for her? She won't technically be unprotected, and I'm sure that Bee wouldn't mind since he did ask to stay with us."

"He did?" I asked in surprise.

"Yeah, he wants to continue staying with us."

As soon as Sam said this I smiled at Bee as best I could even going so far as to wave at him happily, which he returned. Then I turned to Optimus and gave him the puppy dog look... dunno how effective it is on giant alien robotic organisms but hey! It was worth a try! "Please?"

He did not look affected at all. "Bee cannot always protect both of you."

My face fell into a glare. "Not happening." I gritted out. "I'm going to go back home with my fat little dog Frankie, and I'm going to go back to school as soon as my skin finishes growing back! It will grow back right?" I directed the question at Ratchet.

"Yes of course. Your nanites are already working on it."

"Right! I'm going to go home, finish school, and torment Sam on a daily basis for fun!" Sam squawked indignantly at me, making me roll my eyes at him. "You know that your life would be dull and boring without me!"

Sam suddenly turned to Optimus. "I like your idea better!"

Before he even knew what had hit him he was on the floor clutching at his head courtesy of my fist. "Asshole!" I hissed.

"I was kidding!" He moaned pitifully.

"You probably shouldn't do that or you're going to give him brain damage." Sideswipe grinned at me, hell even Sunstreaker was smirking at me! What was the world coming to?!

"I hit him all the time!" I protested. "He still functions somewhat normally after a couple thousand knocks to the head!" I back tracked over what I had just said. "Well kind of. And besides! Robocop, or whatever you call him, was around me a couple times and he didn't seem any more concerned with me than anyone else! Maybe he couldn't tell!"

Optimus did not look convinced.

Ratchet, however, was way ahead of the game as usual. "Well that is most likely because your human skin acts as a dampener to conceal your spark signature. Even we did not sense it until you were injured. My theory is that your skin acts in a manner similar to a shield, however when it is torn substantially some of your spark energy is able to leak out. So as long as you do not sustain serious injuries nobot should be able to sense your spark."

Before he had even finished his sentence I was doing a happy dance on the bed.

"That does not mean that it is acceptable for you to stay in your human home."

Now I was glaring at Ratchet. "Whose side are you on Ratchy?!"

He glared at me. "Do not call me that youngling."

"What did you just call me Ratchety?" I growled at him, purposefully butchering his name thus earning several snickers from Sideswipe and Jazz. It even got a snort from Sunstreaker... which added to the whole weird fest going on right now.

"Do. Not. Call. Me. That!" Ratchet bit out as he started expelling massive amounts of steam from his exhaust pipes. Or maybe they were vents. "And I am going to follow whatever Optimus decides to do, regardless of what it is. I am only giving him some things to consider before he makes the decision to take you from your human family or not."

My eyes grew wide. Take me away from them? "Can he really just do that?" I squeaked.

"Yes he can. He is Prime and you are a femme bot, and that means that he can tell you what to do. For the most part you are supposed to listen to him." Ratchet so kindly informed me.

Sam smacked his forehead. "You just had to say it like that didn't you?"

Internally I was raging though! I had to listen because I was a freaking female? "So lemme get this straight! Because I'm a female I have to listen to whatever he says? Has anyone ever told you to go shove something straight up your ass?" I hissed at both of them.

Optimus stiffened as what I said apparently registered with him. "Ratchet did not mean that because you were a femme bot you were beneath me and thus subject to my whims. What he meant was that, as a bot, you are generally supposed to listen to me, as are the others. Being Prime means that I am entrusted with keeping Cybertron and its citizens safe, and as a show of gratitude and respect, they listen to me. That is not to say that each and every one of them is not able to live their lives as they wish, as are you."

I huffed. "Damn straight."

"Be that as it may, you are still bound to listen when I give you a direct order, and for your own good I must insist that you come and stay in the Autobot base."

My jaw dropped like a gaping fish. "NO WAY! WHAT ABOUT FRANKIE?! WHO'S GOING TO SAVE HIM WHEN HE'S GETTING DOMINATED BY MOJO?! WHAT ABOUT FINISHING SCHOOL? AND MY AUNT AND UNCLE ARE GOING TO FLIP IF I DON'T COME HOME! THIS IS TOTAL BULLSHIT!"

"It is my choice and I have decided that you will listen."

The nonchalant way that he said that was really freaking pissed me off. With an angry huff I spun around on the bed thing and jumped down before stomping over towards the door.

"Clare you can't really get away." Sam called after me.

"Fuck you Sam! I want Frankie!" A shrill squeak escaped me when Ironhide scooped me up midway to the door and caged me in his huge hand. "I SWEAR TO FUCKING GOD IF YOU IDIOTS KEEP PICKING ME UP LIKE THIS I AM GOING TO POOR OXIDIZER ALL OVER YOU AND WATCH YOU MOTHERFUCKING RUST! NOW PUT ME DOWN!"

Of course he just held me and didn't listen which pissed me off even more. With an angry shriek I lunged up and bit down on a wire sticking out of his neck. Surprisingly enough it made him roar in pain and drop me to the floor below. "I'M GONNA PAINT YOU SHIT BROWN ASSTARD!" Then I ran like crazy around him to the door and wrenched it open before taking off outside. Of course I knew that I wasn't going to get that far before I was caught, but I just didn't care! It wasn't fair that they came in and thought that they had the right to take me away from my home like it was no big deal.

I ducked out of sight when I heard tires screeching down the road after me. There was another entrance on the other side of the alleyway so I bolted for it, swerving around the corner onto another street. This was pointless because I didn't even know where I was exactly, but in my muddled and pain filled mind nothing else mattered other than getting home, getting back to reality.

It was dark all around me but strangely enough I could actually see quite well. I didn't question the sudden increase in night vision at this time.

Or rather I didn't have time to as I took another step only to be scooped up in a hand. It seemed a little smaller than the others I had been in today, but I didn't care. I struggled, kicking and thrashing as I spewed all kinds of cuss words and threats against the one holding me. Whoever it was pressed me against a warm silver chest and cooed to me like I was a baby. It was then that I realized I was crying and begging to go home. My heart-or spark- was racing and I felt sick, like I was way too hot to breathe properly, but I didn't care. All I wanted was to go home to Frankie and Mojo, and my family. I didn't want to be separated from them, from Sam! Why were they trying to do this to me?

"I's alright lil lady." Jazz soothed me as he ducked into an alley to avoid being seen. He sat down and took to rubbing my back in soothing motions to calm me. "Ah kno' it ain' easy ta hear wha' Prime 'ad ta say sweetspark, bu' he only 'as da best intentions ah promise ya."

"I don't care! I wanna go home!" I cried pitifully. "He can't take me away from Sam and my family! I won't listen to him!"

Jazz made a soft purring sound the vibrations from it flowing into me. Oddly enough it calmed me down a great deal though tears still leaked from my eyes. "Ah kno' sweetspark. Ah kno' ya don' wanna go." He clicked down at me softly, the sound doing something strange to my emotional state, almost like when I was little and my Aunt or Uncle would coo at me when I was upset. It settled me down a bit more and I curled into his chest subconsciously. Some strange part of me responded by making a soft chirping noise back. I started in surprise at the unexpected sound leaving me, but he seemed to be expecting it. "Ya neva made a soun' like dat before?"

"No." I sniffled. "What was it?"

He shifted me closer to him so that I was completely enveloped in his hands. "Sparklin' talk. A sparklin' woul' make dat soun' when communicatin' wit' its creators. It means ya need comfort, it can also mea' ya happy."

"Oh." Well I wasn't happy that was for sure. "I wanna go home." I repeated.

"Ah dunno if Prime will le' ya femme. Ah don' agree wit' separatin' ya from yo'r family unit like dis, bu' ah can see why 'e wants ta do it. It ain' nearly as safe as stayin' on da base wit' us, bu' ah also kno' dat takin' a young bot away from deir family unit woul' cause em a lot of distress, so ah'll try ta talk 'im out of it. Can' make no promises thou'. So if 'e stands firm in 'is decision ya gotta accept it sweetspark. Ya can' get away no matta wha'cha do."

His blue eyes peered at me sadly yet resolute. He would try and help me but there were no guarantees that it would be successful. "What about Ironhiney? I did bite him... he probably will hate me forever now." Something occurred to me. "I'm not apologizing for it either." I pouted.

"Ah wouldn' expect ya to! Besides! Ah t'ink dat ya got some real respec' from da terror twins for bitin' 'im!" Jazz grinned and stood to shift down to his Pontiac Solstice car form with me somehow ending up in the passenger seat.

"Terror twins?" I queried tiredly.

"Sideswipe an' Sunstreaker. We all call em da terror twins becuz of da pranks dey pull on everybot." He pulled out of the alleyway and started back in the direction that we had come from much to my displeasure. "More den once Ratchet was tempted ta weld em ta da ceilin'."

I hummed tiredly. "Sounds fun but Sunstreaker hates my guts. I'll probably be a victim if Optimus does force me to go stay on base."

"Naw. Sideswipe is da one dat pulls Sunstreaker inta 'is pranks. Sunny usually don' wan' nothin' ta do wit' it, bu' Sides some'ow manages ta drag 'im inta it every tahme. An' since Sides likes ya ah don' t'ink he'll target ya."

At that point we pulled back into the warehouse where everyone else was, but I could barely even keep my eyes open. Nor did I really pay any attention to them when Jazz shifted so that he was standing in his real form, me cradled in his right arm like a baby. I turned into him when all eyes shifted towards me, feeling him instinctively tighten his hold on me.

"Optimus ah wan' ta state dat ah don' agree wit' wha'cha are doin'." I heard Jazz state clearly. It made a pleasant warmth course through my chest.

"Jazz I know that it is not the best choice for her emotional state, but it is the best choice to keep her safe." Optimus's deep baritone voice replied. "The Decepticons could harm her if she is left with her human family."

"Ah kno' dat Optimus but ah also kno' dat separatin' a young bot from deir family unit like dis will only strain deir spark. For a young bot dat 'as neva had a sparkbond wit' a creator ta strength deir spark coul' weaken 'er to da point dat 'er spark snuffs itself ou'!"

I stiffened slightly, a slight noise that kind of sounded like a quiet blender escaping me before I even knew what was happening. The room quieted instantly in response, but Jazz seemed to cup me with his other arm to block me from their view.

"See? If ya do dis to 'er it coul' do jus' as much harm as good. An' while ah woul' be willin' ta make a creator bond wit' 'er in order ta strengthen 'er spark, ah t'ink dat it woul' be best ta let 'er make da choice for 'erself. We don' take a bots choices away from em Optimus, we ain' Decepticons."

I heard someone vent heavily, most likely Optimus. Strangely enough it sounded conflicted. "I know that Jazz... I did not want to make her do something that she does not consent to. My concern over her safety and wellbeing clouded my judgment on what was right and wrong, and for that I must offer my apologies to her."

I peeked out at Optimus to see him looking truly regretful and apologetic, the sight made me sad for some reason and before I could stop it a soft sound like a dove cooing escaped me. His eyes zoomed in on me as his lips tilted in a small smile. I was just confused as to why I was suddenly making strange sounds.

But before I could question one of them about it Ironhide butted in. "Optimus you can't really be considering leaving one of the last femme bots with a single guardian and a human family unit! This is madness! Barricade or Starscream will target her once they find out about her! Not only that but the healing powers she gained from the Allspark are invaluable to our cause. Think about that when you make your final choice!"

Jazz stiffened almost imperceptibly. "Ah neva said dat she woul' be left wit' one guardian Hide! We can assign a second one as needed based on patrol schedules in 'er livin' area! Dat way somebot is always dere ta protect 'er!"

"And are you willing to spend all that time away from your comrades, surrounded by humans, all in order to sparklingsit a youngling?" Ironhide challenged.

"Yea ah am! It ain' right ta make 'er stay wit' us Hide an' ya know it! Her human family unit is only gonna be around for wha' seems like da blink of an optic ta 'er! Den wha'? Den da only family unit she knows is gonna be gone forever! She neva 'ad wha' we all 'ad at some point! An' now she knows dat she's gonna live fo' practically forever while everybot she knows is gonna offline in da next fifty stellar cycles most likely! An' ya wanna take all dat away from 'er!?" That shut Ironhide up instantly. "Dat's wha' ah though' Hide. An' while ah woul' be willin' ta make a bond wit' her ta strengthen 'er spark, it shoul' be 'er choice."

Optimus intervened at this point. "Yes it should. However, I do still think that she should spend some time on base in order to learn about our customs and the functions of her body. Would you agree to a compromise Clare?"

His voice was obviously directed at me to make me look at him, which I did after Jazz shifted his other arm away.

"You get to spend your week days as you see fit in the comfort of your human home, however you will spend weekends in the Autobot base so that we may educate you on our history and customs. Does that sound fair?"

I spoke up uncertainly. "I can still go to school?"

"You may still go to school as it is on the week days. That is the time designated for you to do as you wish, so long as you stay within an acceptable distance of Bee or your other temporary guardian."

I didn't even have to think about it really. "Ok." I agreed in an instant.

Optimus nodded at me. "Very well, but until your skin grows back it would be best for you to stay with us. As soon as you are healed one of us will escort you back to your home."

"Ok." Right on cue my stomach grumbled... or my tank. "Damn I feel like I haven't eaten in three days." I rubbed my gut distractedly.

"You've been in stasis for three days." Ratchet told me.

"What's stasis? And food... need food." Right on cue my midsection grumbled rather loudly. "Arby's..." I moaned.

Ratchet looked at me oddly for some reason. "I would ask what an Arby's is femme, but I would rather answer your question. Stasis is similar to what humans would call a coma. It happens when a bot is either severely damaged or energon depleted, and only a medic can reverse the process."

"So I was in a coma? Cool." I smiled brightly. "But I'm still starving so yeah."

"I don't think we have any money Clare." Sam told me honestly... oh he was on Bee's shoulder again! I wondered where he had gone! "Maybe Lennox and Epps can get us something? They're around here somewhere."

"She doesn't need human food, technically she can have energon and it will serve the same purpose." Ratchet informed us.

"ARBY'S!" I growled. When I had a craving I had to satisfy it or shit would seriously go down! I was majorly craving a beef and cheddar melt right about now with... mozzarella sticks and curly fries... OMG MY MOUTH WAS NOW WATERING! "Sam I don't care if we have to rob a bank we are getting some motherfucking Arby's!" I said in a completely serious voice.

"Why no' jus' try some energon sweetspark? Ya might like it." Jazz tempted me. He somehow pulled a large cube thing out of nowhere, prompting me to just stare at it.

"What am I supposed to take a bath in that thing or what?" He sat down and put the cube thing on the ground so that I could see the blue liquid sloshing around in it. It kind of smelled good... like berries and gasoline. Yes, gasoline smelled good and anyone that didn't think so sucked bullocks! And I now have a British accent!

"It is a lil big for ya..." Jazz agreed. "Bu' we don' exactly 'ave any'hing smaller ta put it in."

"Ummmm I can lean over the side... and probably fall in. But hey I need a bath anyways, and that stuff has an aroma like berries and gasoline which, oddly enough, smell good together." My comment earned me a weird look from Sam. "What? It does!" I defended myself hotly. "You don't have any room to talk Sam! Have you smelled your room lately? Are you leaving your happy rags lying around under your bed?" I snapped.

"Clare! Why would you even say that? Why did you have to end up having the worst version of my mom for a personality?" Sam buried his face into his hands and refused to look at me. At least Mikeala laughed, though she did give Sam a sympathetic look.

Shrugging my shoulders, I latched onto the side of the cube thing and lowered myself face first over the side. I drank the liquid like a fucking wildebeest drinks that nasty ass water in the Nile only to get its ass eaten by a crocodile. I know my mind is completely freaking random, but hey it makes me awesome! And damn this stuff did taste good! Like berries and cream! I leaned forward for a better taste only to fall in face first.

I came back up and sputtered violently. "Big ass alien cube things!" I cussed angrily. Everyone laughed at me, including Ironhide. I was sooo going to paint him shit brown as soon as he fell asleep! Yeah don't think I didn't notice the brown paint in the corner! Jazz offered me a hand but I waved it off. "Fuck that! This shit it pretty good and I'm going to drink it even if I have to stay in here to do it." With that, and after receiving an extremely amused look from Jazz, I squatted down and resumed drinking it. **'Berries and cream! Berries and cream! Tastes so fucking good, like berries and cream!'** I sang in my head as I drank.

I heard Sam sigh from somewhere over yonder. "Well I think she likes it, but that doesn't seem very sanitary." Pffft it was totally fucking sanitary! I don't know about anyone else but I'm a clean person for sure!

As soon as I was full I waded over to the side and allowed Jazz to pull my soaking wet self out of supa cuba which, for those of you who don't know, is what I'm going to call these things from now on.

"Ya are all wet femme." Jazz smirked at me.

A grin overtook my features just before I grabbed my pants and let them fall against my skin with a loud **'plop!'** "You're just jealous that I can plop my pants Jazz and you can't 'cause you don't have any!" I sang obnoxiously.

He just shook his head at me. "Whateva ya say femme."

"Whateva ya say femme." I copied.

"Oh god no..." Sam moaned from his spot on Bee's shoulder.

What a freaking baby!

* * *

Thanks to me several hours later the bots were very familiar with the copycat game! I spent most of the day until the early part of night copying Ironhide just to piss him off, even when he was not talking to me. I even copied his body motions earning myself more scathing looks from him. The other bots seemed rather amused by my game which was the opposite of Sam and Ironhide's exasperation with it.

Sometime before bed Lennox and Epps had managed to snag us some sleeping cots and other sleeping essentials, including a change of clothes for all of us. I was now running around in a huge ass black t-shirt and loose sleeping pants. Apparently we had to sleep in the warehouse we were in for the night as there was nowhere else for us to go. Tomorrow Sam would be leaving for home with Mikeala and Bee, while I stayed behind with the bots until I was healed.

I tried not to let that bother me, and luckily there was a lot to do! Like getting revenge on Ironhide when the poor, stupid fool laid down for bed... This brings us to where I was now. While no one was looking I rushed over to a corner where I noticed some paint cans laying abandoned earlier; finding a few cans of a nice shit brown paint. Grinning like mad I dragged them over to where Ironhide was laying which was, luckily enough, right near the corner. I stacked the paint buckets near him, all the while rubbing my hands together evilly.

Loud shuddering snores escaped him, rattling his vents and making me laugh. Peering around him I made sure that everyone was facing away from me before I popped the first top off and scrambled up on top of his form. Unfortunately, that was when I noticed that I had no paint brush. Well I could just dump it on him but that might wake him up...

"Need one of these?" A familiar voice asked me.

Sideswipe flopped down and handed me a brush to use. I took it and dipped the thick paintbrush into the shitty paint with a mad grin. I slowly touched the bristles to Ironhide's chest; dragging it down and leaving a thick brown trail after it.

"Is there a reason that you're painting him brown?" Sideswipe asked me.

"I told him that I was going to paint him shit brown earlier and, as far as I'm concerned, if I don't do it that makes me a liar. So I have to. Plus, he was being an ass this morning so he deserves it." I told him distractedly as I made Ironhide into a living canvas. My brush made thick random strokes all across his chest leaving splotchy messes of paint behind, then much to my red companion's amusement, I painted a huge mustache under the little ridge that seemed to serve as a nose. He even started helping me after retrieving another brush from somewhere in his body...

Together we painted as much of Ironhide as we could, before we ran out of paint. We only managed to cover his face and his chest, along with a part of his legs, completely. Ah, woe is me. I was even contemplating using another color when we were caught by Ratchet.

He was silent like a fucking ninja and then... BANG! The next thing I knew Sideswipe was yelping in pain following the loud sound. I whipped around to see the red bot with a huge dent in his head which was cupped in his hands as he whimpered in pain. Standing right behind him was Ratchet with a wrench in his right hand looking exasperated and pissed.

"Sideswipe, do not pull Clare into your immature pranks."

"She started it!" Sideswipe protested pitifully.

"I did." I agreed. "But I did tell old Hiney here that if he didn't put me down I was going to paint him shit brown. Therefore, I had to do it otherwise that makes me a pussy!"

Ratchet scowled at me and snatched me up making me release a startled whirring noise. Ahh… another of the sounds that I don't recall ever making before today! Goody! I love doing things without meaning to or even realizing that I'm doing it! No seriously!

I didn't expect any sort of response which is why I was surprised when Jazz was suddenly there, snatching me from Ratchet with a low growl. Sideswipe stopped whimpering long enough to snarl lowly as well.

"She ain' a ragdoll Ratch!" Jazz snapped. He cradled me close to his warm chest and scowled at Ratchet. "Be careful wit' her! She ain' as durable as da rest of us!" He looked down and started making a soft clicking noise for some reason.

A part of me instinctively understood that he was trying to comfort me, making me relax into him with a sensation of being warm and secure. Strange huh? Anyways, I curled into him with my tiredness from earlier catching up with me. My wounds were starting to throb again too. Ratchet must have given me something to make the pain numb and it was now wearing off.

Jazz took notice of my state and deposited me on the cot next to Mikeala's. He covered me with the blanket for good measure and caressed my head gently before leaving me to sleep.

I fell unconscious relatively quickly.

* * *

R&amp;R! Edited 6/8/16!

**HeartsGuardianSol-** Thanks! I think you'll enoy what else I've got planned!

**XxMichelleMikaelsonxX-** Thanks! More is definitely coming soon!

**Erin Primette-** You'll find out later!

**Izzy-dragon-rider-** Lol I bet you were kind of close in your guess! But I also bet you'll be really surprised with events later on!

**Muirgen79-** I hate S7! And the twins are going to get a lot of screen time in this lol. It is a twins pairing after all!


	4. Chapter 4

I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! Thanks to MakeACircuitWithMe for helping me with the interfacing mechanics! For those of you who are worried holoform interfacing will still be used in this fic as well!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

I woke up sometime just after sunrise to the sound of voices talking in quiet tones nearby. For a moment I lay there, somewhat out of it due to the after sleep haze, until it lifted leaving me somewhat groggy. I sat up with a yawn and stretched causing the voices to cease their quiet chatter. When I looked in the direction the voices had come from I saw Sideswipe, Jazz, Optimus, and Ratchet awake and staring at me. "What?"

"Good morning cycle Clare." Sideswipe waved at me.

"Morning Sideswipe." I yawned again and slowly ambled off the cot to make my way over to them. Jazz grabbed me up once I was close enough so that he could deposit me on his lap. I didn't really mind it. "Where's Bee at?" I asked when I noticed he was not present anywhere in the warehouse.

"He was sent out on an early morning patrol Clare." Optimus answered me. "He should return soon in order to take Sam and Mikeala home."

Depression ate away at me knowing that for a few days I was going to be alone with these bots who I didn't know that well. But what's the worst that could happen? I could use this opportunity to get to know them seeing as they were going to be a permanent part of my life from now on. "When do they have to leave?"

"In a few groons."

"Groons?" I echoed curiously. It was obviously a measurement of time, but I had no idea whether it meant an hour or two hours or what.

"A groon is an earth hour." Optimus informed me helpfully. "I forget that you do not know our measurements of time or the like." He smiled softly at me. Optimus was kind of like a loving father figure, or at least that's what I pictured him as when I looked at him. Maybe even a loving Uncle. Something like that.

"Oh. So your time measurements are a lot different huh?" I pulled my knees up to my chest and laid my chin on the tops comfortably. "What do you call a day?"

"A solar cycle." This time it was Sideswipe that answered me. "That is a day, and a week is called a quartex. Then there is a stellar cycle which is an earth year, a deca cycle is an earth month, a klik is 1.2 earth minutes..."

I giggled at Sideswipe and patted his knee playfully. "Going to teach me all of that right this second?"

He grinned at me. "Might as well start now right?"

I shrugged. "Sure."

I ended up being snatched from Jazz by Sideswipe so that he could sit me on his lap, which I will tell you made me feel tiny because I only came up to his lower stomach at most. Yeah I was a midgetbot... uhhh I mean minibot. I wonder how tall I was compared to him when we were both standing? Yeah I was small, but that's how I was born right? Anyways, he was rather comfortable to sit on.

For the next ten to fifteen minutes they took turns explaining other time measurements like an astrosecond was half an earth second, a joor was six earth hours, and a vorn was eighty three years in earth time. Interesting stuff I tell you! But, compared to most people, I did like learning and memorizing new things whenever I had a chance. Thinking about it now, it was probably a part of being a living robotic organism.

Falling into a sense of ease and comfort with them was almost something that I couldn't help. I didn't even try to fight the feeling of being... I don't know... normal. Whenever I was with regular people I always felt a little out of place. I was unconcerned about it for the most part, due to the fact that I attributed it to my overzealous personality, but I now know that it was because I wasn't human. In time, I was sure that I would learn to be completely comfortable with what I was and what it meant for me.

Back to the present, after they finished educating me on time measurements I grew bored rather quickly. This led to me sliding down from Sideswipe's lap so that I could go and torment Sunstreaker who was still asleep. I did owe him for being an asswad since we had met...

"Clare I would not do that." Ratchet warned me when I reached down and grabbed a stick, don't ask me where it came from because I have no idea, and tied a loose scrap of cloth to the end. My plan was to tickle Sunstreaker's face or nose, if he had one, with it.

"What's the worst thing that could happen?" I grinned evilly and climbed up on top of his head, laying myself over the side of it since he was on his right side. Once I was safely seated there I reached down with my stick and fluttered the cloth over his nose area.

A gruff snort escaped Sunstreaker due to my efforts as he swatted at the stick in his sleep. I dragged it out of the way quickly and waited for him to settle again, before I repeated my earlier actions and tickled him with it again.

Sideswipe shook his head at me. "He's going to be so slagged off when he wakes up." He laughed at me.

"He'll get over it." I pursed my lips and attacked Sunstreaker with the stick again, my world suddenly spinning when said bot suddenly flipped over onto his stomach causing me to land on the ground with a soft **_'smack'_**! I pulled myself up and fake glared at Sideswipe who was laughing at me quietly.

"What are you doing Clare?" A tired female voice asked me.

Everyone glanced over to where Mikeala was sitting up in her cot, looking at me tiredly. Instead of answering her I turned and scrambled up around Sunstreaker's head so that I could assault his audio receptors with my stick. He snorted again and batted at me in his sleep. I danced out of the way of his hand and resumed tickling him as soon as he settled again. "Asswadmcfucktard wakey wakey!" I sang out straight into his audios.

"Femme cut it out." Sunstreaker growled at me. He lifted his head off of the floor and glared at me halfheartedly before sitting up completely.

"GOOD MORNING ASSWAD!" I waved my stick at him in greeting.

He narrowed his gaze at me. "Asswad?"

"Yeah asswad! You call me degrading names so I figured I'd give you one! Don't you **LOVE** IT?!"

He was obviously not as impressed as everyone else was. "No Clare I don't love it."

My jaw dropped for real I swear! I pointed at him with a shaking hand. "YOU CALLED ME BY MY NAME!" Before he could respond I turned and ran over to hide behind Mikeala. "Something's wrong with him Mikeala! He called me Clare!" I peeked out from behind her shoulder at him and waved my stick threateningly. "If he comes over here I'm gonna beat him with Stickbob the cloth covered stick."

Mikeala smacked me on the head. "You know he meant well Clare." She got up and looked towards Sam's still sleeping form while I cowered behind her with Stickbob. "Is he planning on waking up sometime today?"

"Uhhh, he's a teenage boy and that usually equates to being a lazy ass." I told her seriously whilst still holding Sunstreaker's exasperated gaze. "Want me to scare him awake or annoy him awake?" I said when I finally tore my gaze away from Sunstreaker and settled it on Sam's blanket covered form.

"Either or as long as he gets his ass up."

An evil grin spread across my lips as I crept up onto Sam's cot with Stickbob in hand. I carefully pulled the blankets down off of his face and firmly poked his cheek with Stickbob. Just like with Sunstreaker he snorted and swatted at me to get me to stop. I merely let out a muted giggle before backing off slightly and tickling his ear with the cloth covered end.

"Stop it Clare." He grumbled tiredly.

He wasn't really awake though so obviously I wasn't going to stop until he woke his ass up. Really, he knows me well enough to understand that I could annoy the pope until he was cursing me to the seventh pit of hell. Of course I had to remind him of that, I can't let him think that I had given up. I spun the stick around and slid it into his ear and jerked it.

"CLARE FUCKING STOP!" Sam screamed at me. Ooooh, someone woke up on the wrong side of the cot this morning!

"SAM FUCKING STOP!" I copied him as I brought my finger to my mouth and shoved it in; lathering it up with spit. Mikeala laughed at me when I brought it out and jammed it straight into Sam's ear.

As I expected, my cousin leapt up and shrieked. "CLARE THAT IS SO FUCKING DISGUSTING!" He wildly swung at me, knocking me off the cot onto the cold warehouse floor. I was laughing too hard to do much about it, or even care that he hit me!

I wildly kicked my feet and rolled around the floor laughing my ass off while Sam glared at me tiredly. He picked his pillow up and threw it at my face; cutting my laughter off. Oh hell no! With a threatening growl I jumped up, grabbing the side of the cot and flipped it with his ass still on it.

"CLARE!" He shrieked as the cot came over on top of him. "You just wait until I get you back for this Clare!"

"Pfft! What are you gonna do Sam? Soon you'll be too busy making out with Mikeala to care about getting back at me."

Mikeala blushed. "Clare!"

"What? It's true!" I defended myself. "You can't tell me that you're not into Sam's nerdy self!"

She looked away in embarrassment. "Well he's not really the type that I normally go for but... he's grown on me."

I jumped in surprise as Sam sprung up from underneath the heap of blankets he was under like a fucking jack in the box. "Jesus Sam, scare the pancakes out of me!" I glared at him.

He didn't even shift the puppy dog look he was giving Mikeala; refusing to give me any attention whatsoever. "Really?"

"Really. Clare is right; you're nerdy and a total geek, but hey, I guess I kind of like geeks now."

Ewwww! While they were getting distracted in each other's eyes, I stealthily made my way over to where the Autobots were sitting. I wanted to give the two lovebirds some space. "If you feel the need to make out, please leave so that I'm not scarred by it, okay?" I called out once I reached Jazz's side.

Sam finally turned to glare at me. "Shut up Clare."

"I'm just saying that I don't wanna see it!" I stuck my tongue out at him just as the warehouse doors opened and Bumblebee drove in. He shifted to his real form and made his way over to hold a hand out for me as the doors slid shut behind him. I scrambled up onto his hand immediately which elicited a happy chirp from him.

He plopped down onto his butt and started chirping excitedly, little antenna like things popping up from the top of his head. I stared at them with wide eyes before awwing. "Those are so cute!" His eyes lit up and in a flash he had me pressed against his chest in an oversized hug.

Static played from his speakers for a moment before a string of words came out to form a sentence. "I'll...keep an eye...on the boy...for...you. Just be safe...and come back...soon."

"Good luck with keeping an eye on Sam while he keeps an eye on Mikeala's ass." My comment had Sam and Mikeala whipping their heads in my direction the former scowling at me, while the latter was looking embarrassed again. "What? It's true and you know it!"

"Maybe... but do you have to be so blunt Clare?" Mikeala sighed at me.

"That's just how she is Mikeala, blunt and brutal in the nicest way possible." Sam glowered at me and said so lowly that I almost couldn't hear it. "Even if she embarrasses me on a daily basis like a brat."

"I could get worse Sam!" I threatened seriously. "I do know where your baby booties are! Maybe Mikeala would like to see them!" I suggested evilly.

His eyes widened in horror. "NO ANYTHING BUT THAT!"

Bee sat me back down on the floor carefully so that Sam could see my threatening expression clearly. "Then stop being such a whiner Sam." He gave me a thumb up gesture to show that he understood. Good boy. My attention was suddenly drawn back to Bee when he left my side to walk over to Sam and Mikeala. Reaching them, he shifted down into his Camaro form before opening his doors. Was it time for them to leave already?

Sam suddenly looked sullen when he realized that it was in fact time for him to go back home... without me. We had never been separated before for more than a few hours at school, or maybe for the night when Sam went to stay at Mile's house. Even though this wasn't a permanent arrangement it still bothered both of us. He got up and approached me to give me a hug goodbye. "Don't do anything too stupid while you're here, okay?"

"Hey!" I smacked the back of his head firmly. "I've never once done something stupid! Just ask me!"

He laughed quietly. "Yeah sure." After another moment he released me so that Mikeala could hug me as well.

"When you get back we have to hang out! Promise?"

"Yup! We'll figure out a time and place to lose Sam and do some girl things... then again Sam might enjoy some good old fashioned girl time." I teased.

"Screw you Clare." He muttered. Mikeala released me and together the two of them walked over to Bee so that he could take them home. Both got inside the Camaro before falling out of sight as Bee closed the doors. Said bot beeped at me before he pulled out of the warehouse.

I instantly deflated once I could no longer see them, even going so far as to plop down onto the floor, dejectedly staring at the now closed warehouse doors. The feeling of eyes boring into the back of my head was palpable, but I still sat there unmoving for a good fifteen minutes or so.

That is until the sound of one of the bots walking over registered. Silver appeared in the corner of my vision as Jazz sat down beside me quietly. "Wha's wrong sweetspark?"

I felt silly when he asked me that. I was almost a grown woman, but the fact that Sam and I would be separated for so long was still bothering me. I didn't answer him for a moment for fear that he wouldn't understand, or that he would tease me for it. It was Jazz though... he seemed to understand the feelings of others better than most so... "It's just... Sam and I have never been apart for so long before... and so far away."

"Ahhh well ah can understand why dat woul' bo'her ya. But yo'll see 'im again soon Clare. As soon as ya are feelin' betta ya get ta go 'ome, an' den ya get ta see 'im again. Right?" He patted my head comfortingly. "Speakin' of which... ah t'ink dat Ratch needs ta 'ave a look at yo'r wounds again."

With a sigh I turned and scrambled into Jazz's hands so that he could hand me off to Ratchet. I'll tell you right now that being passed around like a toy was an odd experience.

I looked over towards where Ratchet was taking me and I felt my eyes widen slightly. It surprised me that sometime before I had woken up the bots had crafted a medical table of sorts that was more at Ratchet's level. Thus, I was sat on the lone blanket on top of giant structure. It wasn't the most comfortable thing either.

"Remove your covering so that I may take a look at your wound Clare."

My body locked up as what he was saying registered to me. Strip my shirt and bandages off in front of a bunch of male robots? Well, all except for Ironhide who was still miraculously sleeping. "In front of everyone?" I squeaked.

Ratchet seemed to get frustrated for a moment before his eyes flashed with understanding. Yeah buddy I was a virgin who had never been seen naked by a male... excluding you, as far as I was aware. "Could I have all of you turn around to give us some privacy please?"

Thankfully they all did turn their backs to us, not that it made me much more comfortable because Ratchet was a guy... Still I followed his instructions, not wanting to anger him. I lifted my shirt off and then I raised my arms so that he could undo my bandages. Cold air hit my exposed chest which I quickly covered with both arms due to my embarrassment.

Ratchet, sensing my discomfort, handed me a small sheet to cover my breasts with, leaving only the torn part of my chest exposed. He reached for me and the tops of his fingers opened so that small tools, like a pair of tweezer things along with some other medical apparatuses that were unfamiliar to me, popped out.

He took the tweezers and gently prodded at the healing skin and metal plates. I looked down at the wound curiously. The metal alloys were growing back, much to my surprise, with the flesh and skin both reforming over it. It looked kind of cool. "Are you sure I'm not a terminator?"

"Yes femme. You are a minibot, not a terminator... whatever that is." Ratchet responded as he prodded at me a little too roughly making me squeak in pain. He immediately withdrew as the warning revs of at least two engines sounded from the group of bots sitting a ways away on the floor. "My apologies femme, it must still be quite tender. I should administer a pain suppressant for you to ease your discomfort."

My eyes slammed shut when he retrieved a needle from somewhere, my body quivering slightly. I did not do well with needles at all and I had to force myself not to move as he poked me in the arm with it. Relief came flooding into me immediately, soothing the throbbing sensation centered in my chest. I released a heavy breath through my nose, and opened my eyes upon feeling a gentle caress on my exposed arm. It sent a pleasant electric tingling through me.

The normally gruff irritable medic ran his index finger down one of the markings on my arm curiously. I was sure that he had seen them before because I had been running around in a t-shirt for the last twelve hours or so. I didn't know why he was acting like this. "Ratchet?"

He snapped out of it and quickly moved to carefully bandage my chest again. "I was just wondering about these markings."

As soon as he was finished I sat up and put my shirt back on. "What about them?"

"I was pondering how they got there." He vented heavily and scooped me up off of the berth

He was none too gentle either making me squirm in discomfort. "You know Ratchet, it would be considered polite to at least warn me before picking me up. Better yet it would make me happy if you asked before doing it."

He snorted at me as he handed me off to Jazz. "She's healing nicely. I estimate that she will be ready to return home in two to three solar cycles."

Of course he ignored what I said completely! What an asswad! I curled into Jazz, my stomach or tank throbbing painfully from hunger again. It let out a soft growling sound, drawing everyone's attention towards me. I frowned when both Sideswipe and Jazz laughed softly at me. "What's so funny?"

"Your tank makes the most adorable sound when you're low on energon... er hungry." Sideswipe corrected what he must have assumed was a slip-up or something, but I understood him either way. "I'd think that you were just a sparkling if Ratchet hadn't told me otherwise, or if your frame wasn't so developed."

My hear- spark hammered painfully in my chest for some reason when he said that. The thought of being stared at like that by one of them made me strangely warm, something that I was not used to. Sure the boys at school asked me out a lot, and I knew that they stared at me and stuff, but it had never made me feel anything except for irritation. I stammered unintelligently for a moment. "Were you checking me out?"

"All of the unbonded mechs were." He told me as if it were obvious. "AKA me, Sunny, and Bee. You can call me Sides by the way if you want."

My jaw dropped and I spluttered again. "Liar! I'm so much smaller than you so what's the point?"

A boyish grin immediately broke out across his face. "I forgot that you don't know about all the different ways that we can-!" He was cut off when Sunstreaker hit him again.

"You're the last bot that should ever be telling a young femme about interfacing idiot!" Sunstreaker growled at him.

Interfacing? My curiosity immediately got the better of me and I asked before I could stop myself. "What's that?" I stiffened when all eyes shifted to me again. "What?"

"Primus... of all the things to explain so soon..." Ratchet sighed, tiredly rubbing at his face as if he was just exasperated with it all. "Interfacing, young femme, is when two bots... have sex as the humans put it. It works in a very similar way to human coupling as well."

I flinched back and made a grossed out face. "Ewwww! Did not need to know that!" And then a thought occurred to me, and like the idiot that I am I blurted it before I could stop myself. "But a minibot can't interface with one of you right? Your ummm... things are probably bigger than me."

"Oh for the love of..." Ratchet looked ready to strangle Sideswipe's grinning face. "Okay femme let me explain a few things for you. There are two categories of frames for each individual group of bot types, mechs and femmes. A femme has a valve, which is the human equivalent to a human female's vagina. A mech has a spike, in other words a penis located exactly where a human male's would be. Well some mechs have valves as well, and some femmes can have spikes…" He muttered as if just remembering that fact, but then he shook his head and looked back at me. "Our spikes also have the ability to do something called mass shifting."

Color drained from my face as I shuddered violently. "Mass shifting?" I squeaked.

"Mass shifting allows us to shift our interface array in order to enlarge or minimize our spikes to a size that our partner can handle. So in other words if you and say... Sideswipe engaged in interfacing he could shift his spike down to a size that you could take. This way you could interface and mate with a full sized bot."

OMG! "Okay I get it! I get it! No more!" Why did I have to ask questions all of the time?

"Perhaps we should show you a spike so that you know what I am talking about." Ratchet mused seriously, like he wasn't even trying to play a joke or something. HE WAS BEING FREAKING SERIOUS!

A horrified shriek escaped me when Sideswipe apparently took the preemptive and started snapping his crotch plating off. Luckily Sunstreaker reached over and smacked him in the back of the head just as I turned and buried my face in Jazz's chest. It didn't matter because I was not looking out until he learned to behave, which if I was being honest seemed like it would never happen.

"Sideswipe, I think that we can show her a diagram at some point instead of flashing your spike." Optimus admonished the red mech.

Nooooo! NO DIAGRAMS! "How about no?" I squeaked causing Jazz to chuckle at me.

"Ah t'ink she can picture wha' we are talkin 'bout." He intervened before I could be killed from sexual education through spontaneous combustion or something even worse. "Humans do seem ta broadcast interfacin' all over da place. Bu' den again we ain' much betta, eh?"

There was a tired snort from somewhere nearby followed by the set of loud footsteps coming over to us. "I still don't understand why humans are so open about interfacing and then try and act like it's sinful." Ironhide muttered as he sat down next to Jazz and I. "On Cybertron it's perfectly acceptable to be open about intimacy. We even have pleasurebots and the like to allow Cybertronians to fully appreciate the act of interfacing."

His mouth was going and I was somewhat taking in what he was saying. However, my eyes were too busy being stuck on his brown paint mustache, and the brown smears all over his chest. He seemed not to notice either but everyone else did unfortunately... or fortunately.

"Ironhide you have paint all over your face and chassis." Ratchet sighed tiredly.

Said mech stiffened and looked down at his splotchy chassis; face pulling down into a scowl. "What the slag?" And then his eyes shot over to Sideswipe. "You little fragger!"

Sideswipe grinned and held his hands up in surrender. "I did help Hidey, but it wasn't my idea to paint you."

Everyone minus Ratchet looked at him in surprise. "Then whose idea was it?" Sunstreaker growled. Was he always so pissed off and angry?

"It was me!" I chirped happily. "I told him yesterday that I was going to paint him shit brown, and if I say that I'm going to do something I find a way to do it. Sideswipe only helped by giving me a paintbrush to use… He may have also helped me get some of the harder to reach spots." I turned to Ironhide with a huge smile and clambered from Jazz onto his shoulder so that I was literally in his face. "DON'T YOU LOVE IT?!"

He growled at me. "Femme..." But he didn't actually do anything to me, much to everyone's surprise.

"How come you hit us for pranking you and not her?!" Sideswipe scowled.

"Because you half bit! She's a minibot! If I hit her like I hit you I would crush her!" Ironhide growled angrily. Personally, I think he enjoys having me around.

"He likes me too much to hit me like he hits you." I told Sideswipe. A wide mischievous grin spread across my face as an idea struck me. "You could flick me in the head instead of hitting me you know? Doubt that it'll make me stop, but it might make you feel better."

In a flash something was smacking me in the back of the head. Owww, Ironhide really did flick me, but hey I did tell him to do it.

Still it hurt! I rubbed at my head and pouted at him. "Mean. And here I was thinking about fixing your paint job for you... Fuck that!" On that note, I hopped down from his shoulder and into Jazz's awaiting hands. My propensity for doing something stupid was acting up again making me get antsy. Honestly, I don't think I can make it three more days like this or I would die from boredom.

But I could bother Ratchet for fun! That thought had me perking up slightly. Unfortunately, my stomach… tank… thingy gave another loud rumble, reminding me that I was in fact hungry. Just like a savior sent from above, that was the moment Lennox chose to walk in. "Lennox! ARBY'S!" I called hopefully.

Lennox just smiled at me in amusement. "Good morning Clare."

"Morning Lenny! Let's go rob a bank and get some Arby's!" When he gave me a wide eyed look I scowled at him. "No I would really do that for a freaking melt right now! What's a girl gotta do to get some mozzarella sticks? Seriously?"

He laughed at me. "Well there is an Arby's nearby that is still intact, and luckily for you I think I can get us something to eat. That is if, and only if, you're allowed to go with to carry your own stuff back. There are quite a few soldiers who need food as well and I can't carry it all."

In a second I was off of Jazz's lap and sprinting over to where Lennox was standing. "Gogogogogogogo! Let's go right now while they still have breakfast stuff! Move! Movemovemovemovemove!" I was practically bouncing on my feet by this point.

"Clare you cannot just go flaunting around a war zone where there could be Decepticons." Optimus' spoke up calmly.

My good mood fell straight back into the dumps as soon as he said that. I was just getting ready to turn and shuffle back over there dejectedly when he said the single, most amazing thing I have ever heard.

"However if somebot does not mind taking you I have no problems with it, but they must remain in constant contact with me just in case of any attacks. At this moment in time I require Jazz along with all my senior officers to remain here; therefore, it would have to be Sideswipe or Sunstreaker that accompanies you."

My head swung around in Sideswipe's direction. "Please?"

He shrugged and stood. "Sure why not?"

"YEAAHHHH! FREAKING ARBY'S! WOOOOOHOOOOOOO!" I did my happy dance which earned me several laughs from everyone, with the exceptions of Ratchet, Ironhide, and Sunstreaker. I kept it up until Sideswipe came over and shifted down so that I could get into his passenger seat.

He slid the seatbelt over me and followed Lennox as he walked out of the warehouse, got into a big military truck, and drove off. We went through the decimated remains of the city in relative silence for a few moments until it got to be too much for me. I finally caved at the ten-minute mark. "So Jazz told me that you like pranks."

His voice responded through the speaker system. "Yeah it's my favorite pastime. Sunny hates it because I always drag him into it and he gets in trouble too." He chuckled, the sound actually shaking his entire frame. "But we have fun, especially when we prank Ironhide and Ratchet. They really need to loosen up and I have made it my personal mission to help them with that."

I giggled. "Right! It sounds like an excuse to prank them senseless."

He shifted all around me in what I imagined was a shrug. "Yeah, pretty much. It helps morale even if they won't admit it."

"Well, if Sunstreaker doesn't wanna help you, come and find me if I'm on base. I love pranks." All he had to do was ask Sam and he would find out just how true that statement was.

"Cool. I'll definitely take you up on that sometime. So what else do you like to do? What's considered fun on Earth?"

I pulled my knees up and tucked them under my chin as I thought about it. "Well there are malls that girls like to go shopping at, I hate doing that unless I absolutely have to go, so don't ask." He chuckled at me so I smacked his seat playfully. "Let's see… there are movie theaters that you can go to see films in, or live theaters where you go to see plays. Umm… there are roller rinks and they normally have laser tag. Uhh, go cart racing- wait! DO NOT EVER TAKE SAM GO CART RACING! Once, when we went there, he put the go cart through the side of the tracks and almost hit an old lady. We got kicked out of there because of him."

"Sounds fun."

I eased back into the seat with a small smile. "Yeah, but Sam didn't think so. He's such a goofball, but he wouldn't be Sam if he wasn't. Other people treat him differently because of that. I think that they should be able to accept and understand him for what makes him unique and different. I personally love him for being how he is; goofball, nerd, and all."

Sideswipe didn't reply to me.

"Sideswipe?"

"Call me Sides."

Oh right he had asked me to call him that earlier. "Okay Sides, did I say something wrong?"

The interior rumbled all around me as a laugh fell from his speakers. "No not at all. I was just thinking about something that's all. Sam is lucky to have you because not many can accept somebot who is different. That's how it is with Sunny and I. Only we can seem to fully accept the other."

He sounded sad when he said that for some reason. I didn't know what to say to him but I felt compelled to respond. "Well Sides, I don't really know about Sunstreaker because he seems too aloof and cold, but I do know that you seem very nice and interesting. I'm sure that Sunstreaker is as well in his own way. Someday someone will accept you both as well I'm sure of it."

"I hope so Clare. Thanks for saying that."

"No problem." At that moment we pulled into the parking lot of Arby's. Yes food!

Most of the soldiers wanted to eat inside save for Lennox and Epps. I had decided to go outside and join them. I also figured that it would make Sideswipe more comfortable if he could see me the majority of the time. After I ordered and received my food I turned, walking out the swinging doors to sit at a table with the two soldiers.

I hadn't even opened my beef and cheddar melt when the chair beside me was pulled out. I looked up in surprise as a very handsome red haired man who looked to be in his early twenties, sat down right next to me, making me very confused. My eyes were drawn to his dark blue, almost glowing eyes. "Sideswipe?"

"In the flesh. Literally." He joked. Lennox and Epps joined in with staring at him wide eyed making him grin. "This is called a holoform; it's like a hologram only it's a physical representation of us."

Hesitantly I reached out while he was looking at Lennox and poked his hand, AND IT FELT REAL! OMG! He looked at me causing me to snap back in case I had offended or bothered him. "Sorry Sides I just wanted to see if you were really solid and could feel that."

He waved me off. "It's alright Clare you were just curious. These forms are comprised of our nanites which also make up our frames, so I can feel everything in this form that I can in my real form."

"Cool. So if I do this!" I jumped up and poked his cheek like an overexcited child. "You can feel it?!"

"Yup. I can do everything that a normal human can do like this. Neat huh?"

"Yes!" After another few moments of prodding at him I sat back down and tore into my food. Sideswipe watched all of us curiously while we ate, not that I was paying much attention as I practically inhaled my beef and cheddar on sesame like I hadn't eaten in days. Well actually I hadn't TECHNICALLY eaten in days. Energon didn't count it was a liquid. A thought occurred to me about half way through my sandwich. "Can you eat human food Sides?"

He looked at me thoughtfully. "Yeah but it doesn't do anything for us since we can't convert it into energon. The only reason to consider it would be to blend it into our Energon for a better flavor or taste. Whatever we ingest will just be burned off by the heat from our sparks sooner or later."

"Wanna try some?"

"Sure." He reached out and took a piece of my melt that I had torn off for him. For a moment he just stared at it oddly before popping it into his mouth.

I grinned when his eyes widened at the taste. "Good?"

"Mmm hmmm." He swallowed and snatched a curly fry to try next.

"Hey! Back off me mozarrelly sticks Sides!" I warned him seriously.

But he wasn't really paying much attention to me as he munched on the fry he had stolen. It was obvious that he had no idea how to eat solid food because he had almost the entire fry sticking out of his mouth. All the while he chewed on it like a cow chowing down on grass.

"Sides, you need to put it all in your mouth then chew on it. Like this!" I snatched a fry and popped it into my mouth to chew on it. "Unless the food is too big to fit into your mouth then you would do this." After I swallowed I reached out for a huge fry and took a bite off of it while holding it. "See? This way you don't choke."

Sides copied what I had just shown him exactly. "These are good too." He mumbled around a mouthful.

"You aren't supposed to talk with a full mouth Sides it's rude." Lennox told him.

"Wude?" Sides mumbled, causing a small piece of fry to fly out of his mouth. He looked down in surprise and moved to pick it up.

I swatted at his hand. "No Sides! That surface could be dirty! Never ever eat off of any surface in a public place."

"It's not like I can get a human illness and neither can you." He protested and reached for it again only to yelp when I smacked his hand away.

"Sides it's considered bad manners. If you're going to use this form you have to learn how to act human, and humans don't normally eat off of dirty surfaces. Now if you would like more I don't mind sharing with you." I scooted my chair and tray over closer to him in order to give him better access to my food. He didn't hesitate to help himself.

So I learned today that mechs in human form do like human food! Who would have known? I guess we learn something new every day!

* * *

**R&amp;R! Edited by DawnofShadows256- 6/10/15, proof read by me on, 6/18/16!**

**Izzy-dragon-rider-** Yeah I love protective Jazz too! I loved the terminator part it made me laugh so hard! Lol!

**Muirgen79-** Yeah Clare kinda just didn't want to understand what they were saying since she was so distraught and scared over being taken from her home. Unfortunately whether she gets better in terms or listening or not is still in the air lol!

**HeartsGuardianSol-** Yup I think Jazz is gonna be daddy Jazz soon lol. That means that if I bring Prowl in it's going to be daddy Jazz and Prowl. IF I do it! Can you imagine the twins reaction to that if they were dating her? HILARIOUS!

**himelove22-** I love Jazz too! And yeah Ironhide was definitely not cool with that as you can see in this chapter lol.

**cmfanreidsgirl-** Thanks! And yeah I think that's a definite yes!

**Varmillion-** Thanks!


	5. Chapter 5

I'm going through and having every chapter for this story edited, and I'm doing periodic small rewrite on certain parts so that they make more sense! So things have been changed in this story! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

Another day went by and Ratchet finally said I would be healed enough to go home tomorrow! I was super excited to see Mojo and Frankie, even if I knew that Uncle Ron was probably going to ground Sam and me. Well, that actually wouldn't work out for me since I was going to be kidnapped on weekends, regardless of what he did. I guess that we kind of have to tell Aunt Judy and Uncle Ron. Still wasn't sure about how I felt about that. Would they be as accepting as Sam and Mikeala were?

I hadn't really had the time to think about their reactions due to everything that had been going on. Even now, I was supposed to be listening to something Ratchet was saying that was apparently important. He was talking about some update that he wanted to install into my programming. I hadn't really paid attention from the start.

A rough nudge got me to look up and see his frowning face. "Were you listening to anything I said femme?"

"Umm, something about installing… something…?" I murmured quietly. Uncertainty had been eating away at me all day long, ever since I had woken up. I think they all noticed, but they didn't seem to know what was bothering me. How could I say anything about my uncertainties? That, now that I was allowed to go home, I was scared if my Aunt and Uncle found out what I really was they would reject me and send me away?

Ratchet sighed tiredly. "I was saying that upon your first visit to the base I would like to update your processor; enabling you to utilize our comm link system."

"Oh... how would that work?" I at least tried to make it seem like I was interested when, at this point, the exact opposite was true. Ratchet seemed to be able to tell so I knew that I wasn't doing a good job, not that I really cared right now.

He looked at me awkwardly for a moment, seemingly torn between saying something to me or not. In the end, he chose not to deviate from his explanation, at least for now. "I would put you into stasis and make a small incision in the flesh near the base of your helm; from there I would use a sync cable to tap into your processor so that I may do a system update."

"So it's just an update?"

"Yes. All bots are born with the necessary components to utilize the comm link, however in sparklings it is normally only short ranged. You possess a short ranged comm link system as well, you simply do not know how to use it as you have not been instructed in how to. That and you do not have the HUD update so using it would be very confusing for you. Therefore, I would like to do another update to allow you to utilize the HUD to make using our functions easier for you. Another good thing about the HUD is that it will update you on your energon levels, any injuries you sustain, and anything else of importance. It is essential for you to have one."

Sounded like I really didn't have a choice. "Okay." I wasn't going to argue it if he said that it was essential. A soft poke in the center of my back drew my gaze away from Ratchet. Surprisingly it was Sideswipe that had touched me and not Jazz whom I had the most physical contact with. We had actually grown very close, as had Sideswipe and I but just in a different way.

"Is something wrong Clare? You aren't acting like yourself." He scooped me up in his servos, I had been learning all of their terms for just about anything imaginable so I now knew what to call each part, and sat down with me leaned comfortably against his chassis.

I leaned my head on his smooth plating and sighed. "Do my Aunt and Uncle know?"

"About you being a Cybertronian?" Sides guessed. When I nodded, he looked over at Optimus.

"They have not yet been informed." The huge mech made his way over to us and gently touched the top of my head. "You are worried that they may not accept you as Sam has?" He gave me a knowing look.

"Yeah, I didn't think about it until today... you know… since I'm going home tomorrow. Nevertheless, it probably will not be easy for them to accept. What if they don't see me as family anymore?"

Ironhide interjected gruffly. "Then you are always welcome to stay with us."

Optimus nodded. "Ironhide is right, you are always welcome to come and be with us. However, I do believe that your family unit will be more understanding than you think. If they love you as much as you seem to love them than I believe that you have nothing to worry about."

I did feel better following that, knowing that no matter what I wasn't going to be thrown out on my own. I smiled softly and leaned back into Sides so that I was more comfortable. All I could do was hope that my family, minus Sam, would understand and accept me.

Everyone dispersed to do their own things, Optimus left to negotiate some things with the government and he would be gone until nightfall, Ironhide left with him since he was apparently his bodyguard. Sunstreaker was sitting in the corner buffing out his paint, Jazz was sitting near Sides' feet, and Ratchet was messing with something in the corner. In other words, they were all being dull and I was getting dangerously bored. Maybe I should mess with Sunstreaker? His reactions always made my day!

Grinning madly, I shrugged my way out of Sides' hold and climbed down both him and Jazz to get to the floor, where I crept silently over to Sunstreaker who was too engrossed in himself to pay attention to his surroundings. I slid my glove off and closed in on his exposed leg. Then I lunged for him so that I could smear his paint! My hand made contact and startled him enough that he dropped his cloth and looked down at where I was rubbing his paint with my hands leaving small streaks.

"CLARE!" He bellowed angrily.

Trailing my hand down languidly one last time I then promptly turned and ran like hell as he gave another angry roar and charged me like a pissed off bull. "YOU LOOK GOOD WITH MY SMEAR ART ALL OVER YOU SUNSTREAKER!" My laughter cut off with a startled squeak when I was roughly plucked up. He brought me around to his face and growled at me.

"Nobot messes with my paint femme." He hissed.

"Meow! Hiss kitty hiss!" I mocked making cat claw motions at him. Everyone but him laughed.

His servo suddenly wrapped around me and applied a good amount of pressure making me gasp softly. I could feel something in my body groan in protest from the pressure being applied. "Sunstreaker you ass, cut it out!" I growled at him. "It's just a freaking smudge grow up and stop being a baby about it!"

He didn't relent. We kept staring each other down unrelentingly, yet he still refused to release me so I had to resort to drastic measures...

In a lightning quick move, I wrenched my head forward and licked as much of his face as I could reach, not caring that I technically licked his mouth a bit. It left a nice sized wet smudge on his pristine silver faceplates. Just like I expected he roared in surprise and accidentally dropped me. "FEMME!" He bellowed as he rubbed at his face.

Jazz caught me so that I didn't go splat on the hard floor. "Femme ya are more trouble den ah was eva expectin'." The silver mech grinned at me playfully.

"I make your life awesome and you know it!" I chirped proudly.

"She's a menace!" Sunstreaker raged. "She's a nuisance! She smears my paint constantly and does not even offer to help fix it! I'm tempted to step on her!"

He sounded very angry with me thus making my happy mood fall. I was awfully mean to Sunstreaker, but he did kind of deserve it because he was an ass to me. Still I should have at least attempted to try to be nice to him, which I had not. With a sigh, I pulled myself free of Jazz's servos so that I could walk over to an old shelf containing some auto detailing equipment. I snatched up some polish and a dusty rag, which I beat until it was less... dusty. With these items in hand, I walked back over to Sunstreaker's scowling form and held them up for him to see. "Sit down and I'll clean my smear art off."

With an angry growl, he plopped down onto his aft in front of me. "You better not pull anything else femme." The way that he referred to me as femme really let me know that I was in trouble. What I had realized when it comes to Sunstreaker is that now that he knew I was a bot he referred to me by name so long as he wasn't angry at me. When he was pissed at me he called me femme or menace. It wasn't that he necessarily treated me any different; he just didn't feel the need to call me organic since I technically wasn't one.

I rolled my eyes and popped the top off the polish so that I could douse the rag in a decent amount. "Oh stop being a baby!" I snarked as I started polishing his smeared leg paint. "You act like getting your paint smeared is the worst thing that could ever happen to you!"

He watched me working carefully. "I like to be clean femme."

"Same here but you don't see me crying when I get a little dirt on my hands."

"You should. Earth terrain is disgusting. It's all dirt and dust and grime, and it gets all over me and ruins my paint." Sunstreaker complained as I rubbed the polish in circles to get the oil from my skin out.

"Well since you're stuck here for a while why not try and find something to like instead of being so miserable and angry about it?" Earth wasn't nearly as bad as he was making it out to be. As far as I was concerned, he was just a big baby. After a few minutes I finished with his leg and motioned for him to lean his face down towards me so that I could handle that as well.

"There's nothing to like femme." He grumped.

There was a small pang in my chest when he said that, but I ignored it in order to finish cleaning him. If that was how he wanted to be nothing I could say at this time would make him change, nor did I want to put forth the effort at this time to try if he wouldn't do the same. Moreover, it was obvious that he wouldn't. So why bother? Maybe later I would figure something out. "There you're finished." I backed away once I was finished and walked away without saying another word to him.

Jazz picked me up and settled me on his lap once I was close enough to him. He smiled encouragingly at me though there was a hint of worry in his optics. "Ya alrigh' baby girl?"

I snuggled closer to him. "Yup!" My response sounded artificial even to me. For some reason what Sunstreaker had said bothered me. It seemed like no matter how hard I tried we would never get along so what was that point? All he would do is make snide comments about my human family and just about anything else that I cared about. I feel that I am a very open and accepting person; however, it doesn't always go both ways. Unfortunately, Sunstreaker and I were probably going to keep butting heads... helms.

Suddenly I only wanted to get back home even more.

Unfortunately, I had the rest of the day, tonight, and a few hours tomorrow to go until that would happen. Maybe Sides or Jazz would want to go somewhere? Not like there was anywhere to go really since the city was in ruins. This section of the city was completely blocked off from the public both due to the damage done to the buildings and the presence of the Autobots. The government wanted to keep them a secret for now so no one was allowed to come near.

They really didn't have to worry much though since the bots had holoforms to use in order to blend in, and everyone was none the wiser when they used them. So far, I had only seen Sideswipe's and he was hot in holoform. Strangely enough, I found him quite nice to look at in bot form as well. Weird, but I was a bot and things apparently affected me as they would any young femme. By this I meant finding the bots attractive. With the older bots, it was more like an appreciation for what I couldn't have. With Sideswipe and Sunstreaker, I could fully give them the attention. Not that I would ever tell them that, nor would I ever act on it since the latter hated me, and I wasn't a boy crazy girl as it was.

I sat there for what felt like a lifetime with my legs splayed out over Jazz's while I played with his claws to entertain myself. It was comfortable for me to sit here with him like this. However, it did get me thinking about something that he had said before about a bond or whatever. "Jazz?"

"Hmm?" His visor slid up as his gaze flicked down to me.

"What exactly were you talking about the other day when you said something about a creator bond? What is that?" He seemed to stiffen against me, his optics narrowing in concentration, not as if he were angry. It was more like he was trying to figure out what to say to me or how to explain it.

"A creator bond is da bond betwee' an adul' bot an' deir sparklin'. It's like da bond betwee' a human parent an' deir offspring."

My mouth fell open to form a little **'o'** shape. So did that mean that he wanted to be my dad or something? I had never had a father as far back as I could remember, and Uncle Ron did not count. With us, we had a loving relationship but I always understood from the start that he was not my dad. We just had a close connection in another way. "So you want to be my dad?"

He cocked his helm to the side. "Ya mean creator?"

"Ummm if that's what it's called."

"Dat is wha' i's called sweetspark. An' like ah was telling' Optimus, ah wouldn' mind it if ya wanted to. Ah've grown attached ta ya like mah own sparklin', no' dat ah've eva 'ad one."

I just stared at him quietly, the world around us seeming to fade away including the three bots watching us interact curiously. As close as we were, we hadn't known each other that long, but I still felt more comfortable with him than I did with almost anyone else in such a short time… I knew that I could rely on him to offer me everything I needed; no matter if it is emotional comfort or physical affection. However, was it okay to do that right now? "How does it work? Would I have to do it now?"

"No, of cou'se no'! We can establish da bond anytime ya wan' Clare. If ya eva decide ya wanna let meh kno' an' we'll do it."

"But how do you do it?" I prompted him impatiently making him chuckle at me.

"Well i's as simple as answerin' a door. Hol' on an astrosec an' ah'll show ya!"

I waited as he had instructed until I felt a sudden tug in my chest. I jumped and squeaked in surprise, earning several amused chuckles from almost everyone gathered, minus Sunstreaker. Then the tug came again only it was stronger. "What is that?"

"It was mah spark reachin' ou' ta yours! All ya woul' have ta do is return da pull an' da bond woul' establish itself."

Curiosity got the better of me causing me to plaster myself to his chassis so that I could hear his spark thrumming furiously beneath all of the metal plating. "Can I do that to you?"

"Ya coul' if ya wanted ta. See in order fo' a bond like an adoptive creator bond ta be established two bots 'ave ta 'ave a close bond already, then dey 'ave ta 'ave da desire ta establish an actual connection. So is ya wanted ta bond wit' meh all ya woul' 'ave ta do is reach ou' for meh wit' ya spark."

My tongue poked out from the side of my mouth in concentration as I tried to follow his instructions and reach for him with my spark. I let my affection and the sense of comfort he evoked in me seep into my mind and body in the hopes that it would allow me to actually reach out.

Jazz stiffened slightly and grinned at me, his light blue optics alight with happiness. "Ah felt dat!"

Then he tugged back as soon as I stopped. Not knowing what was safe and what was not I immediately returned the tug causing something unexpected to happen. With a huge mental shift my mind seemed to enlarge as another consciousness seeped into mine, a wave of emotions that I knew I was not previously feeling suddenly crashed into me like a huge wave making my head swim.

A familiar voice was suddenly there in my head sighing in exasperation and amusement. How I could tell I had no idea. **[Aww scrap... Loo's like we shouldn' have been playin' 'round huh?]**

It startled me so much that I fell back and off Jazz's lap onto the floor in a heap. I lay there dazed and confused, his face leaning over me looking worried. What confused me even more was that I could literally feel said worry inside of myself! "What happened?"

He grinned at me, allowing me to feel his happiness through this mental link we now had with one another. "We accidentally established a creator bond."

"Oh Primus..." I heard Ratchet sigh tiredly. "Jazz you should have known that she may accidentally return the tug without knowing it!"

He shrugged. "Ah don' regret it cause dis means dat ah can always tell when she's in trouble."

Before I even knew what had happened I had been scooped up off the floor and pressed into a warm and firm chest. Contentment and joy coursed into me, along with a sense of assurance to combat the uncertainty I was feeling.

**[Everyt'ing will be okay mah spark. Sometimes accidents can be a good t'ing.]**

**[How do I talk back like that?]** I thought quietly only I didn't realize that he had actually heard it!

**[Ya jus' did! I's as easy as thinkin' somet'ing!]**

Something occurred to me however, now that I had kind of done something stupid and good at the same time again! **[Does this mean that I can't go home now?]** Fear and nervousness suddenly tore at me.

**[Naw, ya can still go 'ome if ya wanna. Ah'm Optimus' Third in Command; fillin' in for second in command until da real SIC gets 'ere so ah'm busy a lo' baby. Even if ya were wit' meh on base we woul' spend a lo' of time apart, and since it was an accidental bonding ah wouldn' suddenly change mah mind 'bout ya goin' 'ome. So long as ya keep da bond open ah don' have a problem wit' it.]** He assured me.

I felt the negative emotions being forced to disperse which was an odd feeling to have your emotions overcome by someone else's. It was manipulation at its purest form really, but I didn't really mind right now. Nor did I mind him cuddling and coddling me as he was. It felt nice. I could feel his protectiveness and love welling up inside of me making me actually feel so content and relaxed that I started to feel drowsy.

He chuckled at me. "Bonding can be tirin' huh? Why don' ya take a small power nap?"

My eyes slid closed after I hummed in agreement. The last thing that I heard was a soft...

**[Good recharge mah spark.]** Then everything went dark.

* * *

A firm prodding on my back woke me sometime later. I was none too pleased about being woken up before I was ready either, and I made sure to aim a threatening growl at whoever was touching me. It didn't make them stop much to my irritation. **[Jazz make whoever is poking me stop.]** I grumbled tiredly.

His confusion and amusement wafted through the new bond. **[Ah woul' but ah 'ad ta go wit' Optimus dis mornin'. Sideswipe is supposed ta get ya ready an' take ya 'home, ah'll meet up wit' ya halfway. So get up mah spark! Dat is if ya wanna go 'ome.]**

My eyes suddenly snapped open as I sprung up apparently startling whoever had been poking me, this turning out to actually be Sideswipe who fell flat on his aft due to my sudden move. "Primus femme you scared the slag out of me!" He didn't really look mad about it though, in fact he was grinning boyishly at me. "Ready to get up and go home?"

In response, I leapt off the bed and bounced excitedly on my feet until he got up as well. "Huh I only come up to your knee..." I tapped on his knee to emphasize my point. After a moment of standing there inspecting said knee I sprung away to go and throw on another t-shirt, and some slightly tighter sweatpants that Lennox had acquired for me. Of course, I changed behind a curtain since Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, and... Well just those two were there. Anyways, I changed and threw my hair up into a high ponytail before racing out from behind the curtains and over to the bright red bot.

"Ready? Jazz said he'll meet us halfway, and I think that Optimus is coming to explain a few things. For now, it's just you, me, and Sunny." He shifted down and opened his passenger door for me, and I practically dove in.

After buckling me in we finally left the warehouse! I was practically bouncing in my seat while I watched the city go by!

"Primus femme you're acting like Frenzy!" Sideswipe chuckled at me.

My gaze shifted over to his dashboard. "Who?"

"The little twitchy guy, he works with Barricade or Robocop as you call him." He laughed at me again.

"Oh Robomojo?" I gasped in fake hurt and smacked his dashboard. "I do not act like him!" My leg instantly twitched that was followed closely by a full body shudder of pure excitement… then I was bouncing in my seat again like a child on Christmas morning. Sideswipe could laugh at me all he wanted! I didn't care!

"Robomojo? Sunny did you hear that?"

"Hmph. I still can't decide who's worse Frenzy or that little rat thing." Sunstreaker's gruff voice spilled through the speaker system.

I looked around my seat to see him following along behind us. Huh? Well I hadn't even noticed it until now. Knowing that it would bother him I waved over the seat so that said bot could see it. "HI SUNNYKINS!"

Sides rumbled around me in laughter. Sunstreaker however was not pleased. "Do not call me that femme."

"Sunnyshine? To match your stellar personality?" I guessed next.

"No. It's Sunstreaker to you femme." He growled at me. Oooh, it looks like I was making him angry again! Whoops! I really should stop doing that!

"Ok Sunny!" I chirped earning myself another growl through the speakers. Sides' laughter drew my attention away from the stewing bot plodding along behind us like the grump he was.

"I think he likes you." Sides laughed. "He'll never admit it though so don't expect it."

"Sideswipe don't give her ideas! I do not like her at all!" Sunstreaker... Sunny snapped through the speakers. You could literally hear the sheer vehemence that radiated from him. Sounded like someone was in denial! Then again, I got off on teasing him!

"You sooo like me!" I sang out obnoxiously.

"No way. You're annoying and you smear my paint constantly." He complained like a downer. Jeez, he was kind of being a downer. Well he always was.

"Awww and here I was thinking that besides your brother and Jazz you were my favorite. So sad." I let my head flop back with a dramatic sigh. Sideswipe apparently caught onto my game and chuckled at me again.

"I really don't care if you like me or not." Sunstreaker replied with less anger than before.

"Liar!" I exclaimed. "I can so hear the difference in your voice! You do like me! Admit it!"

"There's nothing to admit." Ahhh the vehemence was back!

I pouted and slumped in my seat reaching for the new bond between Jazz and I. Only it was as if there was something blocking me out every time I tried to communicate, I couldn't even feel him. My body jerked forward in alarm. "Sides! I can't feel Jazz anymore!" I was full on panicking at this point, literally in an astrosecond.

"Don't worry Clare he just dulled the bond down so that he could concentrate on what's going on around him. If something was wrong you would sense it sweetspark." He assured me. "Just get comfortable for now okay? Don't worry about Jazz he's safe with Optimus and the others. Nothing is going to happen to him."

He reclined my seat for me so that I was laying down, the seat instantly heating up slightly to warm me. With a slightly frantic scramble I turned over onto my side, facing the driver's side with my knees curled up to my chest. I ran my fingers over his seat distractedly. "What does it feel like when I do this?"

His entire form seemed to shudder. "It tickles."

With a wicked grin, I reached out and started feeling various parts of his interior while asking questions about how each touch felt. Generally, it seemed to just tickle or feel like a normal touch almost anywhere I touched. I would giggle and tickle him every now and then as we drove making him laugh, and at one point, he jolted me in my seat making me squeal. I liked being with Sideswipe. He was so much fun to talk to and mess around with.

At some point, I wriggled out of my seat so that I could climb into the driver's seat, where I promptly started toying with the pedals and such. We must have spent at least an hour and a half toying around. I discovered that Sideswipe had a kickass sense of humor! He was always joking with me making me laugh until I couldn't breathe! And me? I joked right back tickling him and doing anything I could to make him crack up. It had been a long time since I had so much fun!

In fact, I was enjoying myself so much that I didn't even feel a shift in the new bond Jazz and I shared until his amused laughter drifted over our mental link. I jolted up in surprise, looking around wildly for him! He was close by! After a moment of looking, I caught sight of him and Optimus pulling up behind Sunstreaker. **[Hi, Jazz!]** I waved like crazy.

**[Hi mah spark. Has Sides been keepin' ya entertained?]**

**[Yup!]** My amusement must have been contagious because he started sending it right back at me. Nothing I had ever felt was like this bond that we shared. It made me wonder if there was anything stronger out there.

**[Sparkmate bonds are stronger, as well as split spark bonds like wha' da twins share. Ou' creator bond is pretty strong considerin' we aren' related by energon.]**

**[Ohhh.]** It fell silent after that as we pulled into Tranquility City limits. I was so excited to get home that I started bouncing in my seat again eliciting chuckles from Sides and Jazz, the latter via bond talk. That was what I was going to call it from now on!

Anyways I bounced in my seat all the way to my house, before jumping out as soon as Sides pulled into the driveway. "FRANKIE!" I yelled as I raced up the driveway. My little fat puppy dog came sprinting around the corner as fast as his fat self could carry him, yipping happily. I scooped him up as soon as he was close enough and planted a big kiss on his nose. "I missed my Frankie! Did Mojo dominate you while I was gone?" I held him and turned to where the bots were all standing in holoform.

Sides familiar holoform was standing next to a slightly taller, golden haired holoform with his hair styled similarly in a spiky manner. If that didn't clue me in on the fact that it was Sunstreaker the scowl he was directing at me would have. He was as hot as Sides though and that was no joke! Both were built, but not overly bulky so that it was gross, with broad shoulders leading down to a lean waist and toned legs. My virgin mind almost short-circuited.

Next to Sunstreaker was a slightly shorter dark skinned male with shaggier black hair and dark blue eyes. He too was muscled just not as much as Sunstreaker or Sideswipe. This was clearly Jazz.

Next to him was a much taller brown haired male with warm blue eyes. He was a good three or four inches taller than Sideswipe and Sunstreaker and a good bit more muscled.

All of them were wearing shirts in their colors and jeans, though Optimus' jeans were more fitting to someone of an older age as he made himself appear. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were wearing jeans like the boys at my school wore, and Jazz had on a loose baggy pair. The last was also wearing a silver vest with a white long sleeved shirt under it instead of a t-shirt like Sides and Sunny, or a leather jacket like Optimus.

After looking them over for a minute or so, I grinned. "Ready to go in and meet my crazy Aunt and Uncle?"

Optimus nodded at me. "Lead the way."

I led them inside the house, sitting Frankie down on the floor, which he was not at all pleased about. "I'M HOME!" I called out to the mostly silent house. The sudden pattering of small dog feet sounded as Mojo came screeching around the corner in a beeline for my legs. I scooped him up and cooed at him for a moment while I waited for everyone else to come down stairs. "Did you dominate Frankie while I was gone you little monster?"

"Clare?!" Sam's voice called.

My gaze snapped up as he came sprinting down the stairs, surprisingly not tripping for once! He made his way over and hugged me. "Mom and Dad are in the backyard fixing the damage to the garden and stuff."

"What were you doing?" I pressed knowingly.

He looked at me in embarrassment. "Uhhh, I was on the phone."

"I KNEW IT! DID MIKEALA POP YOUR MAN CHERRY YET?!" I sat Mojo down so that I could jump on him and glomp him with questions. "Did you kiss her yet? Did you make it to second base yet? Did you hit a home run yet? Is she going to toss every reservation about manly men aside and date you?!" I got out all in one breath.

"Clare shut it!" Sam growled at me and pushed me away. "Why do you wanna know if I get laid anyways?"

"Because I love it when miracles happen."

He glared at me as Sides, Jazz, and even Sunstreaker snickered at him. "Clare that is so not cool. Why do you have to crush my hopes and dreams like that?"

"I'm not! So are you dating her?!" I jumped on him again, even going so far as to wrap my legs around his waist in case he tried to throw me off. "I'M NOT GETTING DOWN UNTIL YOU TELL ME! SO TELLLLL MEEEEEEEEE!" I begged.

"Okay! Okay! Yes! We're going out this Friday!" He shoved at me. "Now get off!"

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, I was squealing like a fangirl! "SAM HAS A GIRLFRIEND!" Then I took off running through the house like a maniac until I reached the back door, which I wrenched, open. "AUNT JUDY, SAM HAS A GIRLFRIEND! IT'S A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE AND IT'S NOT EVEN CHRISTMAS!" I yelled startling her and Uncle Ron.

Both of them looked at me before what I said must have registered to my Aunt, and she too jumped up while squealing like a maniac. She rushed past me and into the house. "SAM IF YOU GET HER PREGNANT BEFORE YOU'RE TWENTY-FIVE I WILL KICK YOUR ASS!" She yelled.

"CLARE!" Sam screamed at me.

I turned back into the house and raced into the living room to see Aunt Judy holding a bat over Sam who was huddled in a corner fearfully. At least the bots looked amused, or Sides and Sunstreaker did, Jazz and Optimus not so much. The latter two were probably worried about leaving me with a crazy lady who threatens her own son with a baseball bat.

"If you try parking on my lawn I will beat your ass!"

I had to actually jump up and grab the bat to keep her from smacking Sam in the ass with it. "Whoa down Aunt Judy! Down girl!" Then I had to wrestle it away from her and toss it aside for good measure.

Something seemed to register at that point because she suddenly spun on me, causing the bots to tense like they thought she was going to strike me. Pfffft! Like it would hurt! Anyways she turned and gaped at me like I was some sort of alien before squealing and glomping me so hard that we both fell to the floor. "CLARE! THE ONLY SINGLE MEMBER OF MY FAMILY!"

"Oh thanks Aunt Judy." I glared at Sam over her shoulder when he laughed. "At least I've been single all this time by choice Sam!" That got him to shut up instantly. Then when Aunt Judy started bawling that she thought I had been abducted by aliens I was forced to awkwardly pat her back to comfort her. **_'Help me!'_** I mouthed to Sam.

**_'What do you want me to do?'_** He mouthed back.

"I THOUGHT THAT YOU WERE NEVER COMING BACK! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW IT WOULD FEEL BEING THE ONLY PERSON IN THIS HOUSE THAT HAS PERIODS?!" She wailed right in my ear making me cringe. Oh my god she was loud! Then what she was saying registered to me and I wanted to hit myself repeatedly.

"Aunt Judy you hit menopause a few years ago remember? You don't have periods anymore."

"I WISH I DID THOUGH! YOU MUST FEEL SO ALONE WHEN IT'S THAT TIME OF THE MONTH!"

How did we even get to talking about this? "No not really. I just stuff my face with chocolate and I'm all good."

She suddenly pulled back and snapped at me. "YOU ARE SO GROUNDED MISSY! FOR LIFE!"

I winced... yeah not good. "Ummm is that negotiable? Because starting around this weekend or next weekend I have some things coming up on the weekends."

"NO IT'S NOT NEGOTIABLE! YOU ARE GROUNDED!"

"Why am I grounded and not Sam?!" I protested. Sam glared at me and I glared back at him.

"Because if he misses this date with Mikeala I'll never get grandchildren from him!"

Laughter bubbled in my chest when Sam raised his arms in a what the fuck motion. "That is true." I sighed and decided to up my game. If anyone could manipulate their way out of being grounded, it was me. "How about double chores on the week days after school... and I'll make those special brownies that Uncle Ron doesn't like you to have? You can have the whole batch to yourself." I baited her.

Her eyes widened like a deer in headlights. "Deal."

Sam gaped. "What the hell?! How many times have you gotten out of being grounded by making her weed brownies?"

"They're not weed brownies Sam god! They're bacon double fudge brownies! Uncle Ron doesn't like her to have them because sweets make her spaz out." I glared at him. Like I would ever give my unstable Aunt weed brownies! Although... "Maybe weed brownies would actually calm her down!" It was as if a revelation had hit me!

"No. You are not getting my mom stoned Clare." Sam glared at me... had he ever even stopped?

"Fine. Anyways Aunt Judy... wait where is Uncle Ron?"

"Hold on let me go get him." Sam walked out the back door only to return a moment later with Uncle Ron in tow.

"Guests? This is unexpected." Uncle Ron mused. "Sit down in the living room please! Would you like anything to drink?"

"No thank you." Optimus answered as the rest of the bots walked into the living room and took their seats around on the couches and chairs. Optimus followed them and sat down next to Jazz on the other couch.

Uncle Ron patted my shoulder affectionately before we walked in and sat down on the other couch, well he, Aunt Judy, and Sam did. There was no room for me so I bounced over and jumped onto the couch next to Jazz.

"Are they friends of yours Clare?" Uncle Ron looked at me curiously.

"Yup! They're aliens." I chirped, making everyone look at me with gaping mouths. "What? They had to find out sometime right?"

"Clare!" Sam groaned. "Do you not know how to do subtly at all?"

"Nope." Jazz elbowed me with a grin on his face. "What? You are aliens so why pussy foot around about it?"

"Did they come from Mexico?" Aunt Judy asked. I started laughing hysterically once she said that.

"Judy! Clare!" Uncle Ron admonished us. "That was rude! Apologize to them right now Clare!"

"I'm sorry that you're aliens. Not really though." I choked out.

Optimus seemed amused by my antics if not a little exasperated. Sighing quietly, he turned to face Uncle Ron fully. "Clare is actually telling the truth, even if she was less than subtle about it. We are from a planet far from here called Cybertron."

Aunt Judy opened her mouth to say something only for Uncle Ron to smack his hand over it before she could. "What are you talking about? Aliens?"

"Yes aliens. We are autonomous robotic organisms or Autobots for short. We can show you proof if you would like." He offered.

Uncle Ron nodded dumbly, and together all of us stood to make our way out to the back yard. At least everyone else walked while I jumped onto Sides' back and hitched a ride out there. Not that he seemed to mind at all. Bee was sitting just outside the garage when we stepped into the back yard.

"Huh... when we came in the car, that I still don't know how my son and niece got," Uncle Ron gave us both a pointed look. "was in the garage. How did it get out here?"

"HI BEE!" I waved like a maniac at him. He powered up his lights and honked back at me playfully.

"Did I accidentally put shrooms in our spaghetti last night instead of normal mushrooms?" Aunt Judy gave Bee a spacey and confused look.

That look turned to one of shock and awe when Bee suddenly shifted all of his parts around and stood on two legs; pieces coming up and around to form his torso and arms then, finally, his helm. His optics powered on last as he shifted to loosen the kinks or whatever.

"That is Bumblebee; he is Sam and Clare's primary protector." Optimus informed my gaping family members. "That is what I meant when I said that we are autonomous robotic organisms. We appear before you in human form via holoform, or a solid human representation comprised of our nanites so that we may blend in with your people. Our real forms are the vehicles sitting in front of your housing unit."

To emphasize the point Bee suddenly shifted back to alt mode and activated his holoform in a flurry of nanites, springing off of his real form in the body of a tall blonde teenager. His hair was short and much more messy than Sides or Sunstreaker's, and he was a little shorter with less muscle. He was wearing blue jeans and a yellow, long sleeved shirt with black stripes going down the sleeves. "This is weird." He mumbled in a surprisingly deep yet childlike voice.

"YOU CAN TALK NOW!" I gasped dramatically. "WE NOW KNOW WHAT BEE SOUNDS LIKE!"

Bee grinned at me. "Yeah but I can only talk normally in this form. It's because the nanites form a new vocal system for the holoform. So as soon as I go back to my real form I'll be unable to talk again unless it's through comm link." He made his way over to us and held his hand out for Uncle Ron to take. "I am Bumblebee. I serve as a scout for Optimus Prime, and I now am a protector for Sam and Clare."

Uncle Ron took his hand in an awkward handshake. "Protector from what?"

"The Decepticons." Optimus answered him. "They are a faction from our planet that despises humanity as a whole. They originally came after Sam for the glasses that were passed down to him from your ancestor Archibald Witwicky; those glasses had the tracking data giving the location of a powerful artifact from our world. The Decepticons wanted to claim this artifact in order to raise a new army and destroy humanity. Sam and Clare aided us in finding it, and also aided us in defeating the Decepticon forces during the battle in Mission City."

Ummm what? I am pretty sure that I didn't do more than heal Bee and Jazz before getting my ass turned into a pancake.

"In fact Sam was the one to defeat Megatron, whom happened to be the leader of the Decepticons."

NO WAY! I gaped at Sam as if he had grown two heads. "Way to go Sammy double whammy! Kick Megsywhatsy's butt!"

Sam only grinned at me. Apparently my outburst had also drawn Optimus' attention back to me because the next thing I knew I was the center of the conversation.

"And Clare now possesses the ability to heal our kind from even the most mortal wounds. She saved Bee when he was injured, as well as my First Lieutenant Jazz here." Jazz gave a lazy wave when my Aunt and Uncle looked at him closely. I could feel his amusement coming through our bond.

"But how can she do those things? It should be impossible for a human to do that right?" Uncle Ron turned his head to look at me.

"She is..." Optimus paused briefly to look at me encouragingly. "Clare is not human. I know that she seems to be, but she is in fact a Cybertronian like the rest of us. She is what we call a minibot."

I was immediately on the receiving end of stunned looks from the ones who had raised me. "She's not human? But she... she's been with us since she was just a baby."

My arms tightened around Sides' shoulders as I clutched at him for comfort... I was afraid of what they would think and do. Would they not want me here anymore? Sides reached for my hands and squeezed them gently, and Jazz started channeling reassurances to me through our bond. All I could do was watch my Aunt and Uncle's reaction closely, too scared to look away in case something changed.

"She has always been like this since you have known her, and she is still the same femme that you have raised. There is no reason to be worried now that you know she is different."

Uncle Ron was the first to overcome his shock enough to speak. "This is a lot to take in... What should we do for Clare? What would be best for her? She can stay with us no matter what because she is family and we wouldn't get rid of her just because she is different. What would be the best thing to do for her? Obviously she needs a lot of guidance that we probably can't give her."

Optimus nodded sagely. "Yes and that is why I would like her to split her time between her home and human family unit, and us. We have decided that her weekdays shall be spent here with you, and her weekends will be with us on the military base that the human government has provided. Whatever extra guardian stationed with her will bring her to the base each Friday after school, and on Sunday nights, she shall be returned here. This way we may educate her on things she needs to know."

Uncle Ron nodded but Aunt Judy had done nothing since all of this had started. Uncle Ron nudged her, gently snapping her out of her stupor. "An alien has been living in our house all these years? This is like E.T.!"

"Judy! You're going to make Clare feel bad!"

"How does she even have periods if she's a robot? And she eats like us too!" She gave me a scandalized look out of nowhere. "Missy you better not have been pretending to like my teriyaki chicken all of these years, or I'll smack your little bottom with a paddle!"

"I do like it! Apparently I'm a little different from the others here in the fact that I do eat human food and energize myself with the contents of it. Moreover, I do have a period, which is complete crap! I mean, if I'm not having it as Mother Nature's way of saying hey you can get knocked up, what's the point?" I pouted into the top of Sides' head. "Not fair."

"You better not think that you can get out of chores because you're an alien missy! You still live with us!" Aunt Judy lectured me.

I grinned... good ole Aunt Judy. "I won't."

At least everything seemed to be okay. They hadn't turned me away or looked at me in disgust! As far as I was concerned, it was all good!

Now I could only wonder as I sat here piggy backing on Sideswipe...

What tomorrow would bring?

* * *

**R&amp;R! Edited by DawnofShadows256 on 6/14/16, and proofread and finished editing by me on, 6/18/16!**

**himelove22-** Thanks! Yeah Sideswipe is such a sweet lovable pervert! Lol I loved that part but there's even more embarrassment to come from interfacing lol. We didn't even cover all of it. Poor Clare!

**varmillion -** Thanks! And it should be a good sized story!

**cmfanreidsgirl-** Thanks!

**Muirgen79-** Yup no one is safe wahahahaha! Especially Ratchet and Ironhide if Sides and her have any say in it! Yup it's going to be fun seeing her teach them human customs!

**Izzy-dragon-rider-** Yeah Sunstreaker is a hard one to crack but she is a femme...one of the last femmes alive. Clare is such a little Mary Sue lol! As for Sunstreaker being mad that she didn't consider him for going to Arby's, well I think that he was more relieved that she didn't ask. At this point, he still is more aloof than anything. It will be like that for a bit.

**XxMichelleMikaelsonxX-** Thanks!

**HeartsGuardianSol-** Lol Danniluk Prowl! Yeah I could see that happening or Clare throwing it out there, or maybe Sides just to see him glitch.


	6. Chapter 6

I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

I had ended up being stuck with Sideswipe as my temporary guardian after everyone else had left. Now this was not something that I was upset about because Sideswipe and I got along great! In fact, the first night home I sat out in his passenger seat for hours passing jokes and stories back and forth with him. Apparently, when he and Sunstreaker were younger Sides had painted his twin a hot pink with little red crystal flowers all over him. This resulted in Sunstreaker throwing a fit and chasing Sides all across the base they were stationed on, showing his new paint scheme to everyone there. Hilarious!

I ended up telling him the story of when I had gotten angry with Sam and glued him to his chair in class. He ended up having the bottoms of his pants cut off in order to set him free, leaving him in his superman undies. I swear Sideswipe and I laughed so hard that I almost passed out. We had so much fun together!

Sometime around ten or so, he made me go in seeing as how I had school in the morning. I did so grudgingly after wishing him a good night and patting Bee's hood affectionately. After trudging inside the house I showered, dressed myself, and got into my queen-sized bed for the night. Sleep came easily for me.

The ringing of my alarm clock woke me up the next morning much to my irritation. I reached out and smacked it before slowly dragging myself to my bathroom to shower and do my other morning things. I finished bathing and brushing my teeth, dressing myself in a long sleeved black shirt with Girl on the front and dark skinny jeans. Afterwards I brushed my hair out and left it down for the day.

Once I was ready, I raced downstairs into the kitchen where Sam was sitting eating breakfast alone. "Where are Aunt Judy and Uncle Ron?" I asked distractedly as I poured myself some fruity pebbles to eat.

"I think that Dad had work today, and Mom had a book club meeting or something." Sam responded. After that, we sat there at the table together eating slowly.

"So are you picking Mikeala up this morning?"

"No not today. She's going to meet me in front of the school." Sam mumbled around a mouthful.

"Don't talk with your mouth full Sammy!" I admonished him. He glared at me but otherwise did not say anything. I finished my food right after that, my eyes drifting to the clock distractedly. "We gotta go Sam or we'll be late." It was already after seven!

He hurriedly finished his bowl and tossed both of ours in the sink so that I could run over to the door and slide my shoes on. I stood as he walked over, grabbed my bag, and strode out of the house with him in toe. As we passed by Sides, I gently touched his hood in greeting, getting a soft rev of his engine in return.

We reached Bee afterwards and climbed inside. "Morning Bee!" I greeted cheerfully.

"Good morning Tranquility!" He greeted back via a clip from the local radio station.

We pulled out with Sides following us and started towards the school at a good speed. It was mostly quiet between Sam and I, Bee seemed content to let us sit there in silence as well. Not that I really cared, my mind was too busy wandering. Only days ago everything in my life had been the definition of an average teenager's life. Now I knew for sure that it had never been normal. I was an alien robot and no one knew how I got here. I could apparently heal due to having taken Allspark energy into myself making me... I don't know... really important to the bots. In addition, here I was being allowed to go back to school so that I could live my life next to my human family until they... passed.

A lump settled in my throat. Of course, I had heard what Jazz had said the night that he had talked Optimus out of forcefully taking me from my home but, until now, it did not seem to sink in. I would live forever if I was lucky, and Sam would die in less than a century. It bothered me to think about since I had always assumed I would not have to live long without him or vice versa, but I now knew that it was not the case. He would die and I would have to continue living.

Suddenly I almost wished that I were just a normal human; a mortal human with a regular lifespan. As many apparent bad points as there were, a few good areas still shone due to me not being human. Such as the fact that I would be welcome with the bots forever. They would become another family at some point so technically I would lose one and gain another.

With a soft sigh, I forced those thoughts from my head. It wouldn't do well to think about them right now anyways, plus we were pulling up in front of the school so it was best to concentrate on the here and now. Not that school was hard or even challenging.

All I had to do was make it through each day one at a time and I was sure everything would be okay. At least I was praying that it would be so.

* * *

Morning classes came and went in a blur. Mikeala and Sam spent every waking astrosecond together in the halls between classes being disgustingly sweet towards each other... and kissing. Ewww! Anyways lunch came and I decided to take my meal and eat outside on the picnic tables alone. After everything that had been on my mind today I just needed some time away from Sam and Mikeala.

There weren't any people outside when I made my way over to one of the tables closest to the parking lot. From here, I could clearly see Bee parked alongside Sides' more flashy form. I sighed and plopped down on the table with my chin propped up on my arms tiredly. All throughout my morning classes my mind had been racing no matter what I did to make it stop.

This wasn't like me. I was never so negative nor did I spend so much time worrying about things like this. My personality was just spontaneous, fun loving, open, loving, carefree. Yet here I was bemoaning that I was now not as mortal as everyone I knew. With the exceptions of the bots of course.

My lips pulled down into a deep frown as uncertainty ate at my chest uncomfortably. **_'I can't keep doing this...there's no point. I am what I am even if it changes almost everything I know. I just have to make the best of it.'_** I told myself calmly. Strangely enough, it made me feel a little bit better!

Sitting up I went to start eating my lunch when someone plopped down beside me. One look informed me that it was Trent of all people and this only served to sour my mood. I hated him with a burning passion.

"What's a gorgeous thing like you doing out here all alone?" He grinned in what he must have thought was a suave way. It really just made him look constipated.

"Because I have no interest in being around someone else if it's you." I shot back irritably. Turning away, I started trying to tune him out so that I could eat, not that I really had an appetite anymore now that he was near me. Still I needed the sustenance or else Ratchet would cuss me out for not properly caring for myself. Therefore, I tried to eat while Trent sat there with that stupid fake hurt look on his face.

"Aww don't be like that babe! You know we could have some fun if you want to. The back seat of my hummer is really inviting... especially if you and I are in there with nothing on."

I swiftly glared at him with all of the vehemence I could muster as I snapped angrily. "Not interested! Not today! Not tomorrow! NOT EVER!"

He scowled at me. "I hate it when bitches play hard to get. What? You think that you're so much better than every other girl at this school just because you're hot? Well guess what?" He leaned in close to my face and moved to cage me in with his arms. His breath washed over me, smelling completely fucking disgusting as he spoke to me. "I can have any girl I want and that includes you Clare. So stop playing hard to get and give in because I never give up when I want something."

"I can see why Mikeala left you! You're completely fucking disgusting!" I shoved him back with enough force to almost make him fall off the bench we were sitting on.

In the next astrosecond, he sprung back up like a fucking jackrabbit and lunged at me. I heard an enraged growl in my head, but before he could close in to do whatever he wanted, thus angering my adoptive father, something, or someone snatched him up as another body sat down behind me. "Hey Clare!" Bee greeted cheerfully. He was the one behind me that meant that...

My eyes drifted to the side where Sideswipe had Trent suspended in mid-air with one hand and he did not look happy. A deep angry scowl was present on his face and with an errant flick of his wrist; he tossed Trent aside like a piece of trash. "When a fe-girl says no that means no. Not maybe later or yes. Get a fr-fucking grip!" Sides plopped down on my other side, glaring at Trent until he got up, and ran away like a coward.

"Wow... I've knocked him on his ass a few times and he never gave up that easily." I mused in awe. "Sides you are awesome!"

He huffed. "Yeah well I hate mechs that are like that. If a femme isn't seriously interested in you just give up and leave her be." Then he turned to me and gently nudged me. "You should finish eating or Ratchet will have my aft for not making sure that you're taking care of yourself."

I grinned and leaned up to plant a kiss on his cheek. "Thanks for the save Sides, I mean it." Then I turned to Bee and did the same to him making his holoform blush like crazy. "You too Bee. I've told him off so many times and he just never got it... maybe he's so stupid that he can't understand the English language?" I joked.

Sides snorted. "Something..."

"Y-Yeah! Something like t-that!" Bee stammered. Aww he was so cute!

With that, I went back to my lunch in the safe company of my guardians.

**[Ah don' like dat human boy.]** Jazz suddenly growled again. Oh right, he had gotten pissed when Trent had tried to attack me.

**[I don't either but I think he'll stay away as long as Sides is with me. At least for now. He's a pretty resilient aft though.]**

He snorted. **[Yeah well tell meh if 'e keeps givin' ya trouble mah spark. Dat way ah can teach 'im a lesson.]**

**[Okay, but I really do think that it will be fine for now.]** Trent seemed intimidated by Sides' towering form more so than me, even when I was the one that had decked him so hard last year that he blacked out. Maybe he would take the hint and never talk to me again? I could hope right?

**[Still! Jus' tell meh if 'e keeps it up!]**

**[I will.]**

**[Goo'! No' ah gotta get back ta 'elping Optimus 'round da base so ah hav' ta go fo' now. Talk ta ya latta baby girl.]**

**[Bye Jazz.]**

He was gone immediately after that leaving me alone in my own head with only my own thoughts. Which surprisingly were much lighter and happier than before. I guess seeing Trent cowering like a girl could do wonders for my mental state!

* * *

The end of the school day came and went, and Sides had to take me home since Sam wanted to go somewhere with Mikeala after school. That meant that it would just be Sides and I until they got home because my Aunt and Uncle would probably be out for a while still. If I recalled correctly, they had bowling after Uncle Ron got off work.

What I did not expect to see was a sleek golden Lamborghini in the driveway when we got there. "I thought that there was only supposed to be one of you here besides Bee."

Sides shifted around me in what must have been a shrug. "He just got off of patrol so he decided to stop by and visit me for a bit. Actually I think he's taking over for me after I have to leave tonight."

Oh that was right... they were going to be here in shifts. That meant that I had to deal with Sunstreaker sometimes. Well it wasn't that bad if I could just get past his nasty temper and aloofness. "Oh okay."

Sides parked allowing me to get out. "Hi Sunny!" I called to the gold Lamborghini. It could just be my imagination but I think I heard him growl at me. Whatever! I could growl back too, and I did just that! "Grrrrrr! I can be a total asswad too! Grrrrrrr!"

If it was possible, he growled even louder at me. Oooh he was so not getting a wash later! Anyways, I had to leave them behind so that I could go inside and find the list that Aunt Judy had left on the fridge. I walked up to the refrigerator door, pen in hand, ready to write a long, detailed paragraph on how ice-cream was an important staple to my new diet… not… Curiously, a yellow sticky note was already there. Humming quietly to myself, I read it,

**_'Dear Clare, instead of doing a crap ton of chores today I want you to make me those bacon double fudge brownies. Do not forget or I'll triple the chores for tomorrow! Love Aunt Judy!'_**

Sweet! I did a happy dance before turning and skipping outside and over to where Sides was parked next to Sunstreaker. "Wanna come in and hang out for a bit?" I offered.

"What happened to double chores or whatever?" Sunstreaker grumbled.

"My Aunt wants the brownies today instead, so I lucked out." I bounced in my spot excitedly while waiting for a response. I expected Sides to want to come in of course! However, I was sure that Sunstreaker would tell me to shove it or something.

"Sure." Sides agreed eagerly. His holoform suddenly appeared in front of me in a flurry of red nanites, clad in dark wash jeans and a red shirt under a black leather jacket. I was almost positive that he had been wearing that outfit earlier as well, not that I had been paying attention.

I almost deflated when Sunstreaker sat there idly for another moment... Well I guess I should have expected that. I suddenly got irritated with said bot for being such a downer! Jeez, it wasn't that hard to be around other's! He didn't have to talk or be a social butterfly or anything like that. I was so not letting him get away with being such an aft!

With a frustrated growl, I leapt onto Sunstreaker's hood. "Move it Sunnykins! You're coming in or else!"

His frame shifted in something between a growl and a hiss. "Femme... Get off of my hood you're smearing my paint!"

"Cry about it! Now get your giant, shiny aft moving or I'll smear my hands all over you!"

Sides reached out via holoform and smacked Sunstreaker's hood. "C'mon Sunny it'll be fun! And I don't think Clare will move unless you do what she says!"

"I won't!" To emphasize my point, I flopped down chin first onto his hood with a soft **'plop'**! "If you behave yourself and come inside then I will wash you after I'm done with the brownies!" I baited him in a singsong voice. "You like to be clean right? I'll wash you from helm to ped!"

He grumbled at me, something that sounded like obnoxious femmes if my ears... audio receptors had heard correctly. Surprisingly enough his holoform suddenly popped up on my right. I perked up and jumped down off the hood with an excited squeal.

"See it's not that hard!" I grabbed a hold of his hand and dragged him into the house. He just let me! Not even a single protest or anything like it! He even let me hold onto his hand until I decided to let go.

The first thing that I did was drag them into the kitchen so that I could get started on making Aunt Judy's brownies. I released Sunstreaker so that I could pull the necessary ingredients out from the fridge and pantry and set them on the counter. First things first! Fry up the bacon!

I plopped a large frying pan on the stove and filled it with butter and fresh hickory smoked bacon. Sunstreaker turned his nose up at it from where he was sitting at the table with Sides. I ignored him as I fried the bacon up to a crisp.

Next I mixed up the batter, stopping only briefly to turn and fling some at Sides' face. "Hey!" He protested after it impacted his face with a loud, **'splat'!** I laughed at him only to be cut off when he stood and scooped some batter from the bowl to smear on my own face.

"Sides!" I spluttered. Brownie batter slid down my face and I licked it up hungrily. "This means war Sideswipe." I threatened. Turning, I grabbed the flour up and pelted him with a nice big handful of it making him release a startled yell.

"Clare!" He shook the flour off his hair and wiped it off his face so that he could glare at me. "Femme!" With a war cry, he threw himself at me and wrestled the flour out of my hands.

"No!" I dashed away from him to crouch down behind the table as he turned and unleashed a flurry of flour all over the kitchen.

"SIDES!" Sunstreaker roared as he was pelted with it instead of me. The next thing I knew he had lunged up, tackling Sideswipe, and smearing flour all over his head. It was in that moment that I saw something strange in his eyes... warmth that was not normally there. It startled me for a moment until I realized that even the most aloof seeming people had feelings and emotions. Sunstreaker was just better at masking it than most. Moreover, I would never comment on seeing him like this because I knew it would bother him if someone else did see his disguise as just that.

Shaking the thoughts off, I lunged at Sunstreaker's exposed back with a laugh. I knew that he would probably get angry with me for touching him but hey, I wanted to have fun too! Both of us were jarred by my sudden attack causing him to land with a thud on top of Sideswipe's hysterically laughing form. "Sneak attack!"

"It's not a sneak attack if you give yourself away femme." Sunstreaker turned and smirked at me. OMG HE WAS SMIRKING! He seemed to realize it too because he suddenly schooled his face into his normally cold mask. "Get off Clare."

"Nope!" I scooped up a handful of flour and poured it on his head.

"CLARE!" He bellowed at me. In a quick move, he had spun and taken me to the floor in one fluid motion so that he had my arms pinned above my head. Then with that angry scowl still in place he grabbed a handful of flour and smeared it all over my face.

"NOOOO! SUNSTREAKER YOU AFT!" I squealed, wildly kicking my feet to try to dislodge him but damn he had me pinned really well! "Okay! Okay! I admit defeat!"

"Do you?"

"Yes!" He stared me down for a few more moments before releasing me. Really, he should have known better! In a flash, I leaned up and smeared my brownie batter covered face all over his cheeks.

"CLARE!" It was all but an enraged scream. With a mad laugh, I jumped up and dashed over to Sides who was, strangely enough, just watching us fight it out. Sunstreaker leapt up and was hot on my heels resulting in a mad game of cat and mouse with me obviously being the mouse and him being the angry cat chasing me! "Get back here femme! I'll teach you a lesson for this!"

"NO!" We swung back around the table and I dove behind Sides to use him as a living shield. "SIDES DO SOMETHING ABOUT SUNNYKINS!"

Sides laughed at me. "Sorry Clare you're on your own!" Then he sidestepped so that Sunstreaker could tackle me to the floor again!

"AGHHHH! NOOOO! OKAY! OKAY! I REALLY DO ADMIT DEFEAT THIS TIME! PROMISE!" I choked out around my laughter. He didn't look convinced. "I have to finish making the brownies! Then I have to clean up the mess in the kitchen. For now, we can call it a tie!"

He snorted. "I do not tie Clare."

I rolled my eyes. "Fine you win! Better ego maniac?"

For the second time that day, he actually smirked at me. "Much."

A few moments passed with me just staring at him weirdly, before I snapped out of it and turned to the stove. I quickly finished mixing everything and put it in the oven to bake for roughly forty-five minutes. As soon as that was done I retrieved some cleaning supplies from the closet and set to work sweeping and mopping up the flour and other crap on the floor.

"Need some help Clare?" Sides offered.

I turned away from where I was spraying down the counter in surprise. "Oh no thanks. I would never make you clean my house. It'll only take a few minutes anyways!" I muttered distractedly.

After that both of them fixed the dining room table that had been knocked over when Sunstreaker was chasing me and sat down to wait it out. I quickly finished washing the counters and tossed the soiled rags into the trash. When I turned back around I was surprised to see that their holoforms were sitting there looking completely clean, whereas only moments ago they had been just as covered in gunk as I was. "How did you guys get so clean?"

"We reset our holoforms so that we didn't make a mess now that you cleaned the kitchen." Sides informed me.

"Well that's neat." I was still completely covered in gunk... "Well I'm going to go take a quick shower to clean myself off... Umm if the oven goes off could you take the pan out? Just in case I'm not back down by then?"

"Sure!"

"Okay. I'll be back in a few." With that, I headed upstairs to clean myself off, all while thinking that Sunstreaker wasn't so bad after all.

* * *

After a quick shower, during which I scrubbed stuck on flour and batter off me for what must have been at least twenty minutes, I got out and dressed myself in a blue tank top and black cargo shorts; tossing my hair up in a messy bun once I was done.

It was at that time that I heard a loud curse of, "FRAGGIT ALL TO THE PIT!" from what sounded like Sunstreaker. Confusion ate away at me as I made my way downstairs to the kitchen where I could still hear him growling and cursing up a storm.

"What happened?" I asked after stepping into the room. Sunstreaker was holding his hand and glaring at the pan on the oven. Oh, he must have burned himself. "Sunstreaker you're not supposed to use your bare hands to take the pan out!" With an exasperated sigh, I walked over and picked up the oven mitts so that he and Sides could clearly see them. "These are called oven mitts! We use these to take hot pans out of the oven so as not to burn ourselves."

"Why didn't you say that earlier?" Sunstreaker growled.

"I thought that you knew not to touch hot things with your bare hands!" I shot back. Internally I was kind of laughing my ass off at him, not that I would ever admit it to him. "Do you need something for your hands? I have burn cream here somewhere."

"No I'll just reset my holoform again." Sunstreaker grumbled before he disappeared in a flurry of gold nanites.

I shrugged and turned off the oven before I made my way over to the pantry to grab Mojo and Frankie's dog food to pour in their bowls. "Mojo! Frankie! Kibble!"

Within a second, both of them were tearing into the kitchen like rabid animals. They tore into their food, completely ignoring everything else, including Sides and Sunstreaker who had just walked back in. The latter seemed to frown at my little house puppies.

"Why do humans keep animals like that? Cybertronians use cyber animals for companionship, but they also come in handy in battle. These things seem useless."

"According to you most things on this planet are useless Sunstreaker. As for why we keep them...well for the companionship of course. Other people can use dogs as attack dogs, like the police! They have what is called a K9 unit that's completely dedicated to using dogs for various things such as taking down criminals, locating missing people, and even sniffing out illegal drugs. Everyone uses dogs for different things like that." As soon as Frankie was done eating, I scooped him up and held him out to Sunstreaker. "See? Isn't he cute?"

"No. Not really."

"Aww Frankie he thinks you're fugly!" Frankie whined at me as if he understood what I had said. I hugged him to my chest. "He is cute! You're just a jerk!"

Sides nodded. "He is. OW!" He yelped when Sunstreaker reached over and smacked him in the head.

"Aft!" Sunstreaker hissed at him.

I laughed quietly and left them in the kitchen so that I could let Mojo and Frankie out to use the bathroom. When I came back, they were doing the exact same thing, staring/glaring at each other. Well Sunstreaker was glaring which kinda made him look cute... D'AWWWW!

This went on for about five minutes before I was fed up with it. "So wash first or movie? By the way, if you choose the wash Sunstreaker you still have to come in for the movie! You're not getting out of it buddy!"

The subject of my attention turned to me with a scowl. "Fragging troublesome femmes. I promise to come in and watch whatever stupid movie you want. IF YOU DO A GOOD JOB WASHING ME!"

"Fine but Sides gets to be the judge of that. I know that if it's up to you it'll never be good enough just because you don't want to watch the movie!"

Sides grinned. "You seem to know him well after only a few days."

"I'm a good judge of character." I stated flippantly. "So do we have a deal or not?"

Sunstreaker grumbled what were probably some choice things under his breath. "Deal."

My mood immediately shot straight through the roof making me beam at him. "Great! Let's go outside then!" With that, I turned and led them out the back door. "Let me get the stuff!" I ran into the garage to grab the bucket, sponge, and soap to use on them before I rushed back out and grabbed the hose. Frankie and Mojo came over to me and begged for a drink from the hose, which I supplied before, shooing them off so that I could fill the bucket with soap and water.

I lathered it up to a nice sudsy bubbly mess. Oooh bubble suds! I made sure that the perfect amount of soap and water was present before I carried it over to Sideswipe and sat it down. I quickly wet him down with the hose making him shudder at the cold temperature. "Sorry Sides."

"It's okay." Hey, they could talk through their speakers and I could hear it outside the car clearly! On the other hand, maybe they had speakers located on the outside somewhere too!?

Shrugging it off, I reached for the sponge and started lathering his hood and windshield with suds and water, making sure to get all the dirt and dust off him. I hummed under my breath while I worked my way around to the tires on each side, the headlights, then to the doors windows and all, and over the back end and tires. I made sure to get every spec of dirt off him, even scrubbing longer than necessary to make sure.

He shuddered every so often for some reason when I pressed my body against his frame. I shrugged it off each time it happened, it was probably just the cold water, or maybe my clothes were tickling him. As soon as he was practically shining, I grabbed the hose and rinsed him off.

His red paint gleamed like a ruby afterwards. Not a single speck of dust or dirt was on him. "There ya go Sides! You look gorgeous!" I sang out, giggling like a schoolgirl when he whistled in appreciation.

"Damn I do look good." Strangely enough, I had the mental image of him looking himself over in a mirror while flexing his muscles. The mental image made me laugh again.

"Now it's Sunny's turn!" I sang out while happily dancing over to him.

"Femme..." Sunny growled threateningly. "Do not call me that."

"Oh shush up!" I admonished him as I wet him with the hose. His reaction was more subtle than Sideswipe's though he did noticeably shiver. Instead of teasing him about it, which let me tell you I was tempted to, I chose to start washing him down as thoroughly as I had Sides. In fact, I was even more careful and detail attentive than I had been with Sides, taking extra time on every inch of warm metal beneath my hands. Occasionally he would shudder and groan. I don't think he realized that he was doing it though because Sides kept snickering at him.

I lathered him from helm to ped, getting all the dirt and dust off him, UNTIL HE WAS GLEAMING MORE THAN SIDES WAS! That was definitely saying something! I moved to his hood to grab the hose and rinse him off with a smug smile on my lips. He was so going to watch the movie with us!

As soon as the last of the suds had slid onto the driveway beneath his wheels I stepped back. Even though I was thoroughly soaked I was still immensely pleased. "So? Sides does he look clean enough to be forced into a movie night?"

Sides pretended to think about it, even going so far as to shift his plating thoughtfully. "Yup! I think he looks good enough for a movie night!"

Sunstreaker growled. "Even if she hadn't done a good job you'd still say that!"

"So you're saying that I did a good job?" I immediately pounced on his slip up with a manic grin on my face. "MOVIE NIGHT! C'mon! I got the perfect list of movies to watch!"

Sides popped up in holoform beside me looking rather eager while Sunstreaker popped up on my other side looking irritated. I did a happy dance and dragged them both into the house and into the living room. "Hold on let me go change real quick!"

I raced up to my room and changed into a pair of black sweatpants and a comfortable purple t-shirt. Then I raced back downstairs after grabbing my movie stack, almost tripping over my own feet on the way down. However, I was so excited that it didn't even slow my mad dash to the living room down.

Both mechs were sitting on the couch in front of the TV when I entered and skipped over to put Stepbrothers into the DVD player. I hit play, ran into the kitchen to make some popcorn, and ran back out with a large bowl of it in my hands to plop down between them.

"What's that?" Sides cocked his head to the side and sniffed at the popcorn.

"Mophorn." I mumbled around a mouthful. I swallowed and held the bowl out for him. "Wanna try some?"

He grabbed a piece in his hand and popped it into his mouth as the opening scene of the movie started playing. His eyes widened at the taste. "Salty."

"But in a good way." I chirped.

"Agreed." He scooped some more into his hands and popped it into his mouth to chew on. All while ignoring his twin's disgusted look.

"Wanna try some Sunstreaker? Sides likes some human foods so you might." I offered. He didn't move to take any so I shrugged and placed the bowl halfway on mine and Sides' laps, this way we both had equal access.

Sides and I became engrossed in the movie quickly, more than once busting out laughing hysterically to the point where we almost choked. Like at the part where Brenan and Dale were introduced to one another. Dale was like, **_'I'm Dale, but you have to call me Dragon.'_** Then Brenan was all like, **_'You have to call me Nighthawk.'_**

We howled like maniacs, it was so bad at the part where Dale started singing to Brenan that he fell onto me and was leaning on me while we laughed hysterically. I think that it even got a snort or chuckle from Sunstreaker!

Sides ended up just leaning on me during most of the movie since he kept laughing so hard, and I didn't mind it so I let him be there. Unfortunately, when we got to the part where the elementary school kids beat up Dale and Brenan, and made the latter lick white dog shit we both busted out laughing so hard that I fell onto Sunstreaker, ending up somewhat pinned between the two. Not that I really minded too much.

Sunstreaker stiffened and glared at me but otherwise did not push me away as I expected him to. Nevertheless, it was obvious that I touching him bothered him. Sensing this I forced Sides up so that I could move away from his twin. "Sorry Sunstreaker." I apologized.

"S'okay." He grumbled. It was kind of sad but he looked somewhat pained even saying it.

I let it go after that so that we could pay attention to the movie. It's not like he would react well to me calling him out on anything. So I didn't.

* * *

The rest of the night practically flew by! We watched all of Stepbrothers, and Napoleon Dynamite. Then Sides had to leave for patrol and return to the base for a physical or something. He didn't look too happy about having one either.

I walked him out pouting and sulking like a child. It didn't matter that I was being immature, BECAUSE I WAS ALMOST ALWAYS IMMATURE! "See ya this weekend Sides... right?"

Sides smiled at me, not his normal mischievous grin, but a real genuine smile. "Of course! Look at it this way! It's Wednesday today so you only got to make it through today and tomorrow and I'll see you on Friday."

I sniffled and tackled him in a hug that he returned. One thing that I noticed about Sides is that he genuinely cared about those around him. I liked that about him. He always made me feel safe as if I had someone to turn to when I needed it. Just like how I felt with Jazz. Thinking about my adoptive dad made me sad... He hadn't opened the bond all day long and it was almost as if I had forgotten what talking to him and feeling him in my head was like. Thinking about it made me clutch tighter to Sides.

He rubbed at my back gently. "Two days Clare."

"I know." With a soft sniffle, I pulled back and offered him a watery smile. "See you on Friday."

He nodded at me. "We'll prank Ratchet and Ironhide all weekend!" He suddenly grinned at me. "I have the perfect ideas! Just wait we'll have a blast!"

"Okay. See you then." With that, he turned and disappeared into his alt mode before starting up his engine and beeping at us, or me, in farewell. Then he pulled out and drove away from us leaving Sunstreaker and I standing there, the latter still in holoform surprisingly.

With a sigh, I turned towards him. "Umm if you want to come in and hang out still you can. If you want to be alone I won't force you to come in though."

He looked somewhat surprised. "You won't annoy me into stasis if I refuse? Or smudge my paint?"

"No." When he didn't say anything else I stepped around him and walked into the house. It wasn't that I was upset about being with Sunstreaker alone... it was just that we didn't get along really. It only seemed worse when Sides was gone. I wasn't giving up or anything, but having Sides nearby made handling his brother easier.

Trudging into the living room, I plopped back down onto the couch causing Frankie to jump back up next to me. I cuddled him as I sat there. Sunstreaker hadn't come in so I figured he had opted to be alone. Well Sam would be back soon along with Bee so at least then I would have someone to talk to.

Flopping down onto my side, I just stared straight ahead at the TV... I never really did well being alone and now was no exception.

"If you stay like that for too long your joints will lock up."

The sudden voice from the last person I ever expected startled me so much that I fell off the couch. Sunstreaker actually came inside?! I sprung up from the floor like freaking Tigger or something to stare at him. "You came in?!"

He frowned at me. "You said that I could femme."

A million retorts froze up and died on my tongue. "I did." An awkward silence fell over us then... "Well do you want to watch another movie or something?" I asked to break the silence.

"I don't care."

Well it was a start maybe... We sat down together on opposite ends of the couch as Jaws started playing. It was awkward but for some unknown reason, Sunstreaker was actually sitting here without Sides, watching a movie with me.

I wouldn't do anything to screw it up. Not if I ever wanted the jerk to be comfortable with me.

Something told me that even reaching that point would be an accomplishment in itself. One that I would need a lot of help from Sides to achieve.

Well I was nothing if not persistent... like a freaking tumor. I grew on people whether they liked it or not.

I hope that Sunstreaker would fall into that category at least. Only time could tell.

* * *

**R&amp;R! Edited by DawnofShadows256 on 6/18/16, and proofread by me on 6/18/16**


	7. Chapter 7

So lots going on with the story! I can't wait to get to the part where Clare goes to the base for the first time! Wonder how that's going to play out! Anyways I do not own Transformers!

* * *

I stood in the yard glaring at the list in my hand like it was the freaking devil in disguise. There were so many things on it that it literally filled the entire page. Cut the grass, weedwhack, clean the gutters, wash the windows on the house and garage (And she wasn't meaning just on ground level), replant the flower garden, help Uncle Ron with the fountain and path, wash the car, touch up the paint on the house in certain spots. Then there was the inside of the house! Wash and fold the laundry, sweep, mop, and vaccume every room except for Sam's, wax the kitchen floor, scrub all of the bathrooms, wipe down all of the insides of the windows, dust (EVERYWHERE), do the dishes every night, clean the stove, organize the fridge, walk the dogs, etc... It literally did go on to list a crap ton more that I did not care to read.

"Only one more day...one more day." I chanted to myself as I walked by Sunstreaker to grab a ladder so that I could clean the gutters first. Unfortunately for us we had an old piece of crap ladder that scared the shit out of me for several reasons. One: It was a piece of crap rust heap! Two: It liked to suddenly cave in on itself sometimes sending whoever was on it crashing to the floor. Three: I was just plain not a fan of heights! AT ALL!

"Can't believe that Sam gets off scotch free just because he has a date!" Grumbling under my breath all the way over to the house I set the ladder up against it and made sure that it was as stable as possible. I stared at it in trepidation for a moment honestly not trusting it... But Bee and Sunstreaker were there in the backyard in case I did fall so, with one last sigh I climbed up the damn thing with the hose and power washer in hand.

"Freaking asswad getting off just so that he can get off literally..."

Giving a humph I powered the hose and tool on so that I could start on the first gutter, which was chock full of shit! I should have brought my MP3 up here to entertain myself during this process. Well it was too late now since I was already working, AKA I was spraying the gutter and getting hit with all kinds of shit. Sunstreaker was probably having a hay day watching this!

My mind wandered briefly to last night after Sides had left. Sunstreaker had actually come in and sat with me during Jaws and had actually stayed until the end. We hadn't talked much if at all but I hadn't expected him to be open. It was still a start though.

Sides would probably never believe it if he didn't already know! After the movie had finished he had quickly disappeared leaving me to my silence, not even saying one word to me. And he hadn't spoken to me since. He wasn't the only one who hadn't spoken to me either.

Jazz had not once opened the bond so that we could talk. I knew he was busy though helping set up the new base among a multitude of other things so I wasn't too upset.

It was kind of strange how right his presence in my head felt when I knew that most people could probably never comprehend such a thing in its entirety. The bond itself was so much different than just feeling affection towards someone, it was literally being a part of someone else while they were a part of you. I liked it.

A small part of me wondered...what a sparkmate bond would be like? But as soon as the thought crossed my mind I blushed like an idiot and pushed it away. In no way was I ready for that, nor did I really know the details as to how it would work even. Surely for a deeper bond more than just returning a tug would be required right?

Those thoughts plagued me as I cleaned the gutters, working my way up and down the damn ladder for at least two hours. Luckily the damn thing didn't take me out like a bad guy in a Steven Seagal movie. At least not yet.

One moment I was safely standing on the ladder washing the last gutter, and the next there was a loud bark that did not come from any of our dogs...then the damn ladder was nailed by something sending it toppling over with me on it. "SHIT!"

I hit the grass with a thud at the same time that I heard the opposing barks of Mojo and Frankie along with Sam's shouts. For a moment I wanted to lay there and do nothing ensuring that Sam had to handle it, but if I was right which I normally was...it was the neighbor's rottweiler. And Bronx hated Sam and Mojo...with a freaking passion to rival how many things Walt Disney secretly hated.

So after doing a quick check to make sure that nothing was jarred too much I got up and raced into the back yard. Let me tell you the scene I walked in on was freaking hilarious!

Sam was holding onto Mojo who was yapping like a maniac at Bronx as he circled Sam like a predator looking for an opening. Frankie was cowering behind Sam's legs fearfully, and Sam was armed with a spatula from the kitchen. I couldn't help it! I just busted out laughing like a maniac!

"Wha-what the heck do you think a spatula is going to do against a 120lb rottweiler Sam?!" I choked out earning myself a glare from him.

His lack of attention allowed Mojo to somehow get loose from his hold, and the next thing we knew Mojo was chasing Bronx around the yard yapping at him. And Bronx was barking back but he seemed not to know what to make of Mojo at the moment...and there was Sam chasing after Mojo with his spatula...

My entire body doubled over as I laughed so hard that I almost choked. Somewhere during all of this Frankie had hid underneath Bee's front tire where it was safe. Bee would keep him safe so I really paid it no mind, not that I was able to stop laughing hard enough to find it in myself to be concerned.

Someone came up beside me, Mikeala if the black rider boots were any indication. "What are you laughing...at?" Her voice trailed off.

Somehow both Bronx and Mojo had switched to hating Sam at the moment and were now chasing him around the yard. Let me tell you it was by far the funniest thing I have ever see! I could stop it...since Bronx loved me but where would the fun in that be?

"How did this happen?" Mikeala watched Sam scramble up onto Bee with wide eyes.

"Sam tried to steal their omelets. Now they have to cap a bitch."

She stared at me. "Seriously?"

"No of course not! It's just a normal neighborhood dog fight...only its gone cross species since all the contestants want to kill Sam now." I grinned like a maniac as Sam cowered on top of Bee's roof waving his spatula like a psycho.

"Are you gonna help him?"

"Do you want me to?"

"Yes. I would like it if my boyfriend did not get himself eaten by dogs."

With a dramatic sigh I lifted two fingers to my mouth and whistled loud and shrill catching the attention of all of the dogs. All puppy heads snapped in my direction with perked up ears and rapidly wagging tails before they all tore in my direction.

Bronx closed the distance between us with a huge leap right into my awaiting arms. "Awww Bronxy! Did Sam try and spatula your butt?!" I laid him on the ground and rubbed his belly making him thump his leg against the ground. Mojo and Frankie circled around me yipping for attention too.

"Really Clare?!" Sam sputtered as he climbed down from Bee's roof. "You could've done that like five minutes ago!"

Oooh hands were on the hips! Hands were on the hips with a spatula in one! I snickered and gave Bronx one last pat. "Of course I could have but where's the fun in that?"

He gaped at me while the bots rumbled behind him in what sounded like laughter, even Sunstreaker. "What the hell Clare?! I could've been eaten by that thing!" He pointed at Bronx with a scowl.

I held up a finger to silence anymore of his protests. "But you did not! I saved you before you became doggy chow! As far as I'm concerned you owe me now beeotch!" He didn't respond to me so I shrugged and stood up with a finger pointed across the street. "Go home Bronx!"

As soon as the words were out of my mouth his black and brown furry self took off without another incident. As amusing as having him over was, his owner really needed to leash him to keep Sam from peeing his pants.

Once he had disappeared I reluctantly retrieved the ladder to put back in the garage since I was not planning on doing the windows today. I grabbed my Aunt's gardening tools and new blooms to plant before carrying them out of the garage and over to the ruined section of garden.

Sam and Mikeala were gone as was Bee leaving me Sunstreaker alone in the yard. Over the course of the next few hours I ripped up the dead plants, prepared the soil, and started digging out the holes for the new plants. I was content for now to let silence reign over us. Well it was more like I didn't think that Sunstreaker would respond to me if I did talk to him. He seemed to only open up very little and in intervals. That was ok though not everyone was open and spontaneous like Sides and I were and I had to accept that when it came to Sunstreaker. That did not mean that I would not tease him or annoy him when I was feeling the urge.

Night fell before I even knew what had happened with me being so busy planting all kinds of flowers from daisies to roses and almost anything in between. I sat back once I was finished and wiped a trickle of sweat off my brow. "Man it's freaking hot!" My back groaned when I stood and stretched my arms over my head to relieve the kinks that had built up from being hunched over for so long.

I quickly walked by Sunstreaker to return the tools to the garage bypassing him again once I had done that to make my way inside. Pausing just outside the door I looked over my shoulder at him. "If you want you can come in." With that I disappeared inside to shower and do my homework.

If he wanted to come he would. I kind of hoped that he did.

* * *

Roughly half an hour later I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a huge fluffy blue towel around myself. I stepped into my room and froze when I saw Sunstreaker standing there looking over the walls that I had painted. His eyes snapped over to me then quickly averted back to the walls.

"Ummm let me just grab some clothes to change into." Without waiting for a response I practically sprinted over to my dresser and tore some undergarments...making sure to keep them hidden, and some blue pajamas. With them in hand I sprinted back into the bathroom and slammed the door shut before leaning on it.

**_'He had seen me in only a towel! That was the most that anyone save for Ratchet had ever seen!'_**

My cheeks heated up for once actually staining my cheeks, only it wasn't red it was purple. I turned to my mirror and poked at my face curiously. A purple blush? Well I did have blood and energon AKA Cybertronian blood coursing through different parts of my body. Maybe it was the energon showing through from my protoform or whatever?

I quickly smacked my cheeks to ground myself before I dressed myself and threw my hair into a loose side braid. Once I was finished I steeled myself and walked back into my room.

Sunstreaker was just where he had been when I had last seen him. I just stood next to my desk awkwardly as he inspected the mural stretching across all of the walls. It was nothing special to me really, just a night sky with the full moon casting light off of a field of blue roses. I had done it a few years ago when I was in a funk and it had just stayed there.

"Did you paint this?"

My entire body jumped at the question that broke the silence. When I looked up he had his head half trned towards me, the same aloof expression on his face. Only it was less pronounced and a mild curiosity was showing through. "Yeah a few years ago. It's not that good or anything but at the time I was more worried about making sure it fit what I was thinking and feeling."

"In art that's what matters." Sunstreaker shrugged carelessly. "It doesn't have to be good enough to sell so long as the one who painted it feels good about it."

Holy crap he was holding an actual conversation with me without someone prompting him! "Yeah I guess so. It did make me feel better when I painted it... But you're the first person besides family that has ever seen it."

"I don't let just anybot see my paintings either. Not that I've done any in a while." The last part was muttered under his breath in a longing tone.

I don't think he wanted me to hear it but I did anyways. "Why not?" With some hesitanse I made my way over to plop down onto the bed near where he was standing.

"Because there's no room for art in war." He muttered.

"That's like saying that there's no room to express yourself Sunstreaker." His gaze shifted and seemed to pin me down intensely. It made me want to fidget nervously but I didn't. I had something to say and when I did nothing stopped me, not uncertainty or fear. "Some people don't talk well because to them words just can't cover what they feel. Some people talk a lot because they feel too much inside. And everyone needs a way to really speak no matter what it is, even if it's something as small as a friendly gesture from someone who can't speak. We all have the right to express ourselves in any way that we can. And no one can tell us that it's wrong. Even now when you are constantly fighting you feel something be it anger or sadness, and keeping it inside will only exaccerbate it not make it better. There is always room for expression be it art or something else, because for you art is an expression of yourself and there is no right or wrong time for that."

Our eyes remained locked with my gaze most likely blazing with my certainty. I was not wrong nor would I ever admit it even if he didn't believe what I had said. Because I did believe everything I had said one hundred percent no matter what anyone else thought or said.

After several long drawn out moments he turned back to my mural. "Maybe."

My lips twitched up into a small smile. "Maybe maybe." I grinned and jumped up from my bed to grab a sketch pad and some drawing pencils from my desk before pushing them into his arms.

He looked at me in surprise. "What are you doing?"

"Giving you something to draw in! I'm guessing that the government isn't going to provide you with art supplies so I figured you could use this for now!" A wide grin spread across my face as I went on teasingly. "And who knows? Maybe drawing will make you act like less of an aft?"

He frowned at me.

But I turned and raced back over to my desk giggling like mad. I plopped down and pulled all of my books and school supplies over so that I could get started with my homework. Something else occurred to me suddenly and I tore open my art supplies drawer to grab an unopened pack of oil pastels to give to him. "Here you can use these too!" I tossed them onto the end of my bed carelessly.

He barely even looked away from me to acknowledge the package that I had thrown. I didn't pay any attention to it as I focused on my chapter questions for AP history.

He didn't speak again so it was easy for me to ignore him while I worked on my questions. I already had most of my makeup work done anyways so as long as I was diligent I could get it all done tonight. That was what I was gearing myself up to do as I breezed through my assignment in maybe five minutes if that.

And Sunstreaker never made a freaking peep. Not during that assignment or any other one.

I was actually wondering if he was even still there but I waited until I had finished everything to look over in the direction he had last been. He was now sitting down against the wall underneath the window scribbling away in the sketchbook I had given him. His normal gruff look was present on his face only it seemed softer than normal almost more content even. I smiled softly before I stood to go downstairs and get something to eat to feed my rumbly tummy. Yeah I couldn't come up with something that rhymed with tank to make that comparison so rumbly tummy it was!

Sunstreaker looked up from what he was doing minutely before going back to it like I didn't even exist. Well it wasn't like I expected him to act differently anyways.

And I didn't because that would not be like him. So I left him there to his peace to go downstairs and heat up some leftover pork chops and rice from dinner last night. I got some milk and carried my items back up to my room.

I still had to eat and pack my things to go to the base for the weekend! The thought had me practically running back upstairs startling Sunstreaker when I stormed into my room, sat my plate and cup down, and proceeded to stuff everything I wanted and needed into my Gir duffel bag. And I may or may not have alternated between that and eating, and this may or may not have been more like me running around my room with a pork chop sticking out of my mouth while I munched on it like a cow. And Sunstreaker may or may not have looked at me like I was a freaking idiot for that. Pfft!

His downer attitude could not dampen my good spirits! Not unless I let it and I had no intentions of doing so! I did a happy dance as I stuffed underwear, bras, pajamas, day clothes, my travel toothbrush and toothpaste, my nintendo 3DS XL, my tablet.

"Nothing else is going to fit into that bag." Sunstreaker muttered when I moved to put portable speakers into it, and when they wouldn't fit I jumped up and went rocky balboa on my bag in an attempt to shove everything into it. "Keep doing that if you want to break your stuff femme."

I pouted as I took the portable speakers out and sat them aside... "No fun."

"I don't really know why you're bringing all of that anyways since you'll spend an entire solar cycle in the med bay after Ratchet updates your processor. He plans on doing it as soon as you get there."

As soon as I got there?! I slumped down and slunk over the side of the bed nearest to Sunstreaker. "How bad is having surgery?" I wouldn't know myself because I had not had any sort of operation done, not even stitches.

Sunstreaker hardly even looked up from his sketchbook when he answered me. "It'll be better for you since you're a femme. If you were a mech he'd be rougher than necessary."

My mouth formed a tiny **'o'** shape. For some reason that sounded like something Ratchet would do and I didn't even know him that well. He was gruff and grumpy though kinda like Sunstreaker. Huh...maybe they were actually related somehow? Similar genes making them both act like aftholes.

As if sensing that I was thinking something not so nice about him the object of my thoughts looked up at me through narrowed eyes. Of course I made sure to blink at him curiously as if I was completely innocent. "What?"

"You have that look on your face femme that usually means something stupid is about to happen."

I gaped at him. "You are so rude!" He said nothing to me so I huffed and finished eating and packing before I got ready and crawled into bed with the covers pulled up to my chin. "Night Sunstreaker."

I quickly fell asleep.

* * *

The next school day came and went before I knew it meaning that it was now time to go to the new base! I had left my bag with Sunstreaker who would have to drive me to the base now that school was over. He wasn't best pleased that he would have to have me inside of his cab but it wasn't like he had a choice.

As soon as the bell rang signalling the end of the day I bolted out the front doors of the school like a freaking mad woman towards the brightly colored Lamborghini sitting in the parkling lot and getting no little amount of attention.

The passenger door opened up for me allowing me to quickly dive into the plush black leather seat where I was promptly wrapped in my seatbelt as we backed out and started away from the school. I was practically bouncing in my seat while watching the city flash by right outside of the window.

Sunstreaker hadn't said anything to me but I had not expected him to. It was Sunstreaker after all.

But I guess my fidgeting and squirming must be getting to him because after a few more moments he sighed. "Can you not sit still Clare?"

"No!" My entire body did a full body shudder of pure excitement that I could not have stopped even if I wanted to. And then I was bouncing even harder in my seat like an overcharged energizer bunny! When I got excited about something I just couldn't stop myself! And since I got to see Sideswipe and Jazz today I was a ball of happiness, excitement, and mischieviousness. I was already planning out all the fun things we could do after I got out of having my update done.

"Well you're making it hard for me to concentrate on driving."

"I'm sorry! I'm really not trying to annoy you but when I get super excited it's hard for me to calm down!" I blabbed. If Jazz was paying any attention to me right now I bet that he was incredibly amused by how I was acting. Not that I would know since I had hardly been able to sense him in the last two days. I instantly deflated against my seat and pouted. I missed talking to him and feeling him in my head.

Sunstreaker grunted. "Now what's wrong?"

"Do you and Sideswipe ever block each other out? Cause Jazz has been blocking me since I got home." I pulled my knees to my chest and leaned my chin onto them. Sunstreaker was probably the last bot to ask about something like this since I wasn't sure if he would even answer me. If he didn't I would ask Sides later.

It was quiet save for the sound of the wind as we drove for what felt like forever. I shrugged when he didn't respond after almost five minutes. Forcing him wouldn't-

"We don't block each other out often."

My eyes shot over to the dashboard as surprise shot through my entire body. Had he actually answered me? Well obviously he had because I had heard it so that was a stupid question. "Probably only if you get mad at each other?" I guessed calmly when inside I was beaming.

"Mostly." He grumbled. "We're both frontliners so our job is normally pretty straightforward, so we have no reason to hide anything from one another in the field. We watch each other's back and fight together which for us means that we utilize the bond a lot more than most. Twins never hide anything from each other."

"Sounds like you're both really close." Which I kind of already knew from watching them interact with one another. It was kind of interesting to watch how when one moved the other subconsciously shifted to be closer, and when the other shifted or moved it was the same. Two moved as one.

"We're split spark. The only other bond that can actually compare is a sparkmate bond."

"Sparkmate?"

"Ratchet will start explaining it all for you when we get there." Was his reply.

I pouted...which fell into a full out dropped jaw when I saw that he was driving us into a yard full of large planes. What?! Why were we here? "Ummm why are we at an airport Sunstreaker?" I squeaked as I looked down at his door to see if it was unlocked. It was and as soon as he stopped I was going to run like a freaking cheetah in the opposite direction of the airport.

"The fastest way to the base is by air. So we're going to- HEY! Where are you going?!" He yelled when as soon as he stopped behind a large cargo plane I yanked the door open and took off like a bat out of hell. I heard the sound of him transforming, and the heavy sounds of his peds pounding after me.

"I'm not flying! That was never discussed!" I yelled back without looking behind me. Images of the plane falling to the ground before exploding in a fiery blaze assaulted me and in each and every instance I was in the freaking plane! Nope! No way! We could take a freaking boat!

"Femme get back here!"

I dove behind a stack of crates once I was sure that he was not within seeing distance of me and cowered. No planes! No flying! My entire body shivered as I sat there and rocked back and forth on my aft with my mind running rampant on all the bad things that could happen while flying. Safest form of travel my aft! Think about all of the horrible things that happen when shit does go down on planes! High jackings, engine failures, being flown into freaking buildings by terrorists! No! I was not getting on a plane!

While I was sitting there hiding I suddenly felt a tug on the bond that Jazz and I share. Oh thank god or Primus or both! **[Jazz! Sunstreaker is trying to get me on a plane! A PLANE! I can't handle high places!]** I cried desperately.

His apologies and assurances came flooding back to me.** [Ah'm sorry baby girl, bu' ya gotta get on da plane if ya wanna come an' see meh. Sides is 'ere waitin' for ya as well. Don' ya wanna see 'im?]**

**[Yes. But I'm scared of heights! I can't handle looking out the window and seeing the ocean flying by thirty thousand feet beneath me! I'll swim there instead how about that? That sounds good right?]** I briefly peeked out around the boxes to make sure that Sunstreaker was not laying in wait. He was nowhere that I could see but for some reason that did not make me feel any better.

**[Ah can see if Sunstreaker will let'cha sit in 'im during da flight. Want meh ta?]**

My fear spiked to insane heights. **[No I want to swim or take a boat.]**

There was a sigh and a fair amount of amusement and exasperation emanating from him.** [Ya can' swim or take a boat. Sunstreaker said 'e woul' let'cha ride in 'im if ya jus' come out from ya hidin place.]**

**[No. I will never willingly get on a plane.]**

A sigh.** [Fine. Ah'm sorry ta do t'is to ya sweetspark.]**

What the hell did that mean? Unfortunately I wasn't given too much time to wonder what he meant because in less than an astrosecond I was being snatched up from my hiding place by a large gold servo. Oh now I knew what he meant! "NOOOOOOOO! NOOOO PLANES!" I shrieked at the top of my lungs...or vocaliser.

"Relax femme. Flying is completely safe." Sunstreaker walked back over to the open cargo plane and up the ramp, waiting until the back end had closed to shift to alt mode.

I ended up a quivering mess in the passenger seat as some military men came in and fastened Sunstreaker down making him grumble about organics touching him. He wrapped the seatbelt back around me securely once they were finished. Not that it made me feel any safer really, cause if and when this fucking plane went down I was going to end up a metal and flesh pancake...or shark food. One or the other.

My anxiety was so bad that as soon as the plane started gliding forward smoothly I let out a small squeal, turning reflexively to actually wrap my arms and legs around Sunstreaker's seat. Said bot sighed tiredly but otherwise did not yell at me to stop or anything.

Not that I would have because as soon as I felt the plane jerk up from the ground I screamed and started bawling as I clutched to him, spewing nonsense about plane crashes and terrorist attacks and becoming a pancake. All while I clutched at the seat and cried into it like a freaking baby. Screw my normal demeanor! I was freaking terrified!

Sunstreaker sighed again, for the first of many times during the flight.

* * *

Roughly...I don't even know how many hours later since I hadn't looked away from the seat the entire flight, we landed on solid fucking ground. I sniffled as Sunstreaker informed me that we were now on solid ground again and that meant that I could stop clutching at his servo now. But I kept it up until we were unfastened and allowed to roll down the ramp.

As soon as his tires actually hit black top I renched my door open and leapt out onto the ground to hug it. **"LAND! SOLID LAND! HOW I HAVE MISSED YOU!"** I started laying kisses all over the black top as I cried. "I hate planes! I hate flying! Screw whoever made me get on that plane!"

Sunstreaker shifted up to his true form and shook his helm at me. "Everybot is watching you."

Oh I had noticed the other Autobots standing at the door watching me with amused optics. Every single one of them besides Ratchet really. Anyways I saw them there and I did not care about whether they saw me pay my respects to the ground or not! "I don't care!** I MISSED SOLID GROUND! YOU ARE NEVER GETTING ME ON ANOTHER FUCKING PLANE EVER AGAIN!** Who's bright idea was that anyways?"

"How else did you think you were going to get here?" Ironhide muttered.

"Well seeing as how I didn't actually know where it was!" I snapped irritably as I stood and dusted myself off. "For all I knew we could've just drove! Or taken a boat like a normal sane ass person not that giant cylinder death trap!"

Sideswipe slid forward with a shit eating grin. "Did you enjoy clutching at Sunny the entire time?" He waggled his optic ridges at me suggestively.

Before I could even answer him Sunstreaker had reached out and smacked him across the face. "Shut it Sideswipe!"

I looked between the two of them clearly sensing some sort of undercurrent going on between them that I could not decipher. Silver servos picked me up while I was distracted with watching Sideswipe and Sunstreaker bicker. In a flash I found myself sitting on Jazz's shoulder comfortably my hands latching onto his audio to steady myself.

Without sparing the bickering mechs a glance my adoptive father/creator turned and started over towards the others. "Was da flight really dat bad?" He asked me worriedly.

"Yes. I have a phobia of heights and planes by association. So I hated every second of it." I pouted waving half heartedly to everyone when we stopped in front of them.

Ratchet tilted his helm at me curiously. "Flying is the safest form of travel on Earth, what is there to fear?"

I scowled at him. "Crashing to the eath from thirty thousand feet in the air." I deadpanned making his optics brighten in amusement. "Planes crashing is no joke Ratchety."

He scowled at me. "Do not call me that."

"Then don't make fun of me for having acrophobia." I shot back. "Or I get to call you that as much as I want to."

He huffed. "Just what we need, another troublemaker." Turning away from us Ratchet looked back at me inently. "After you take your things to your room Jazz is going to bring you to my med bay so that I can get started on your updates. You will stay in the med bay until tomorrow afternoon, unless there are any unforseen complications."

Oh real encouraging! He walked away from me before I could comment on his amazing outlook on life. "He's trying to freak me out isn't he?"

Everyone laughed at me. "There is nothing to worry about Clare." Optimus informed me good naturedly. "Ratchet is the best medic on Cybertron, he has many millenia of experience working on just about any case you can imagine. You could not be in better servos."

"So he's trying to freak me out?" I reiterated with a small scowl. Ooooh I was so going to get back at him after this!

A flash of red came up on my other side. "That's just how Hatchet is!" Sides informed me cheerfully. "We can get him back for being an aft after you get out of the med bay though! I've been thinking of the perfect pranks to unleash on him... You in?"

I gave a mad cackle and nodded. "I am so in!"

"Excellent!" Sides grinned back like a cheshire cat.

"I think that I'm going to make it a point to stay away from these two when they're together." Ironhide grumbled. "In fact I have some things to see to..." With that he turned and disappeared back into the base at a brisk pace.

Optimus turned to me as soon as Ironhide was gone. "Well Clare I want to welcome you to the Autobot base. You may consider it your second home as you are always welcome to come here anytime. For now get your things to your room and report to Ratchet. After you get out of the med bay you are free to do as you please for the remainder of your time here. Next weekend Ratchet and I will have some material set aside for you to study."

I saluted him. "Okey dokey!"

He nodded once before turning and disappearing into the base. Once he was gone Jazz carried me inside with Sideswipe and Sunstreaker following close behind, the latter because he had my bag in his subspace I think he called it... Anyways!

"So I saw what happened with Sam and those earth dogs through my bond with Sunny!" Sideswipe started conversationally.

I laughed and turned to the red mech. "Oh? That's actually pretty normal for Sam! You should've been there in person to see him trying to fend the dogs off with a kitchen spatula while he cowered on top of Bee! It was one of the funniest things I have ever seen!"

We both busted out laughing hysterically at that point. "I wish I would have been there to see it! And I saw everything you did and said!" He laughed harder. "Even Sunny was laughing!"

"Was not..." Sunstreaker grumbled.

Sides snorted at him. "Sure you weren't! That's why your amusement drew my attention in the first place!" He danced up besides Jazz and I and leaned down close to my face making my chest flutter. "He was so laughing! Don't let him tell you otherwise." He winked conspiratorially at me for good measure.

I nodded mutely desperately fighting down a blush caused by his proximity. He really was handsome even in this form even from the beginning. Sunstreaker was the exact same way, but he didn't have a tendency to get right in my personal space like Sides did.

Luckily we arrived at my room which was located in the wing where the other Autobots rooms were. The doors slid open revealing walls covered in band posters and all manner of other things, cds laying about and such. A large metal bed like thing sat against the far wall and on the floor at the end of that was a twin sized bed with blue blankets.

"Ah hope ya don' mind sharin a room wit' meh sweetspark."

"No I don't mind."

Sunstreaker's grunt drew our attention back to where he was standing and holding out my bag for someone to take. Jazz swiped it from him quickly so he turned to leave us to do whatever it was that he did.

"Thanks for letting me hold onto you during the flight Sunstreaker." I called softly making him turn back towards me.

He stared at me with his normal stoic face and nodded.

Sides stayed with us as his twin turned and left after that. He was wearing a small genuine smile that had me wondering what was going on with Sunstreaker. I didn't have much time to thin on it as Jazz carted me into the room with Sides rolling along after us on his wheels.

I was sat down near a small dresser and desk, the former of which I sat my bag onto before pulling out my toothbrush kit and gaming stuff. If I was going to be stuck in the med bay for a good twelve hours at least I needed something to entertain myself with when I woke up! "So where did you get those cds from?"

"Some of da soldiers were kin' enough ta let meh borrow em!"

Humming softly I zipped my bag up and pushed it onto the center of the dresser. "I would have brought some cds if I had known you liked music. Earth music is probably a lot different than what you have on your world isn't it?"

Before I could turn Sides scooped me up in his servos and deposited me on his shoulder. "The earth compositions really are different from anything on Cybertron, but they're still really good. I've found quite a few that I like already."

"Ah 'ave too! I's been so long since ah've 'ad good music ta listen ta! Maybay sometime we can jam ou' ta some when ah'm no' busy!" Jazz looked at me with excited and hopeful optics.

"Sure! I warn you though that I literally listen to almost anything you can imagine so you probably won't like everything that I do."

Both of them shrugged. "Try us."

I shrugged as well. "Ok."

"Well we better get you to the med bay before Ratchet blows a gasket." Sides turned and started back the way we had come.

A pit grew in my stomach as we walked towards where I would be having my first ever surgery... I was sure that most were nervous the first time something like this happened to them so I tried not to let being scared bother me. I did clutch at Sides' audio tightly while he walked to keep myself steady.

We made it to a large set of white double doors...the med bay. Said doors slid open allowing us inside a huge room with several large berths positioned in rows just opposite of a counter with multiple cupboards, drawers, a sink, and various other tools that I did not recognize littering every surface.

Ratchet was waiting near a berth closest to the counter with some sort of covering on it. A machine with tubes was right next to him...I think it was to monitor my spark rate and provide oxygen. Just a guess though. "Put her down here."

Sides sat me on the berth so gently that it made me feel like a piece of glass or something. He poked me in the head teasingly. "Tomorrow it's just you and me...and maybe Sunny if we can rope him into it. Ok?"

"Ok."

Sides backed off and left the room after that, most likely because Ratchet looked ready to wrench him again if he stayed. Jazz came up to me and nuzzled my cheek softly with a purr resonating from his engine. "Ah'll come an' see ya before patrol tomorrow ok?"

A pleasant tingle emanated from the area that he was touching making me want to giggle. It kind of tickled! I felt how amused he felt because of my thoughts. "Ok."

"Ok. Ah gotta go so dat Ratchet can work on ya. He'll take goo' care of ya ah promise."

I nodded. "I know."

With a nod he backed away as Ratchet came around in front of me and slid a small needle into my arm.

Within seconds the world started becoming dull and fuzzy, my body feeling like it was floating away. And the next thing I knew everything went black while I was helpless to stop it.

* * *

R&amp;R! We're at over a thousand views already! You guys are awesome! Anyways so far Sunstreaker is winning the poll! For any of you that want Sideswipe but haven't voted I would get to it! Until next time! Time for reviews!

**Muirgen79-** Thanks!

**Izzy-dragon-rider-** You're welcome! Yeah they got along for like a minute lol.

**HeartsGuardianSol- **Yeah I hope to get some more fluff between them especially if Sunny wins the vote. It'll make that transition easier.

**XxMichelleMikaelsonxX- **I'm glad that you like it!

**himelove22-** Yeah he better especially when Clare is actually dating those two lol. I have a feeling that he's not going to though XD. Should be fun to watch though.


	8. Chapter 8

Thanks to everyone who keeps reviewing and reading this story! Right now I'm going through a rough patch in life and writing is just about the only thing that soothes me and alleviates the depression I'm feeling. Through Clare I can express things that I haven't been feeling myself lately so it's almost theraputic for me. That's probably why I'm putting so much time into it! Anyways thanks for reading! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

A dull throbbing in my head was the first thing that I registered upon coming back to the world of the living from whatever dark place I had been in. The pain wasn't something I was used to so I winced in time with every throb in my head. The pain wasn't horrible or anything it just was.

The next thing that I registered was like a small icon, like one that you would see on the desktop of your computer or something sitting right in the top right corner of my vision. I focused in on it causing the small image to shift and enlarge so that it was taking up almost the entirety of my vision. Various words such as, comm. link, system integrity, fuel levels, primary systems, secondary systems, etc...all flashed across the darkness of my vision staining it a bright mixture of various colors the main being a white base. Everything else seemed to be arranged by color according to how important it was. At least that was my guess.

I laid there for another few moments toying with things not really knowing what I was doing of course, until I decided to try my luck in opening my eyes. They felt heavy like bricks forcing me to have to actually strain myself to open them. And when I managed to I immediately whimpered and snapped them shut after being assaulted by bright light.

"So you're awake." A familiar gruff voice muttered from somewhere close by.

With a pained groan I forced my eyes open and turned in the direction of the voice. "Yes Ratchet...I'm awake, and my head hurts like a motherfucker."

"It will after a processor update femme." He stepped around my berth to check my vitals via the spark monitor. "Well everything is stable. Besides the helm ache do you feel anything else that I should be made aware of? Any disorientation or confusion?"

"No. Just a helm ache as you put it."

"Good. I'll give you a mild sedative for the pain."

I was once again poked with another needle only this one didn't make me pass out or anything like that. It just sent a blissful numbness drifting through my entire body. "What time is it?" I asked.

"It is 09:00 groons." He informed me. "Or nine o'clock in the morning."

"I understand military time Ratchet." With some effort I forced myself to sit up with a noticable shaking in my body. I reached around and felt the back of my head for stitches or something, only I didn't feel any there. "You didn't have to stitch me back up?"

"No your healing nanites healed the small incision in less than a groon." He stomped over to start messing with something on his counter. "Jazz is coming to visit you before he has patrol. I figured that while he is here we could start instructing you on how to use your comm. link system."

"I saw something titled comm. link on my HUD when I woke up. I was messing with it but I didn't actually try it out."

"It isn't that it is hard to use, but it can be confusing at first. Especially the public comm. link channel. Hearing all those voices at once can be overwhelming at first but you will get used to it, and at times it may be the only form of communication you have since bots often turn off their personal comm. link when they do not wish to be bothered. However somebot should be on public comm. at all times so use that if you cannot contact somebot directly."

With a thoughtful humm I tuned him and everything around me out so that I could start playing with this comm. link system, I did notice something titled electromagnetic disruptor as well but I had no idea what that was so I left it alone. Maybe I could ask Ratchet later? But for now I focused on trying to get the comm. link to open. It wasn't like I could physically click on it so it should be as easy as wanting it to open right?

Bam! As soon as I thought about wanting to use it a new tab popped up somewhat like one would on a computer, only it was a small screen sitting in the top right corner of my HUD screen. I could still see my main HUD, energon levels, systems, etc... Names were displayed on my comm. link, Optimus, Ratchet, Jazz, Ironhide, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker. All of them were there.

So if it was as easy as wanting something to happen...I'd just focus in on Sideswipe! The comm. link screen shifted to what looked to be almost like a typing screen only there were no words. 'Huh well what the freaking A do I do here?'

As soon as I thought that the words flashed across the screen along with an option to send. I giggled like a maniac and willed the words to disappear! And they actually did! Focusing I thought of an actual message for Sideswipe...

**:Hi Sideswipe! I learned how to use the comm. link system! Tell Sunnyshine I said hi!:** With a mad cackle I mentally hit the send message option and like a small poof the message I had just written was gone.

In seconds I was receiving one back. It was kind of like a small file you would sometimes get on your computer like a blockup or something! I opened it and was astounded when Sideswipe's actual voice filled my head along with the words!

**:I can see that! Good job Clare! Oh and Sunny says not to call him that! I think that he secretly likes it though!:**

I gasped and bounced in my spot on the berth like a mad woman. **:I HEARD YOUR VOICE! I THOUGHT THAT IT WOULD ONLY BE LIKE TYPING ON A COMPUTER! DID YOU HEAR ME TOO?!:**

His laughter came back.** :Of course I did! The comm. link utilizes communication with mental voices and words! We can choose to silence our voices in certain cases if we want. All you have to do is utilize the silent function. Try it.:**

I pursed my lips and cocked my head in thought. Silent function? Where was that at? There were some small icons near the bottom of the comm. link screen so I focused in on them which enlarged the screen for me, and there in the corner was a small tab labeled silence function. Man was everything so literal with these guys? Why couldn't they give it a cooler name like...007 super agent silent ninja message or something? I mentally clicked it and thought up my message.** :Did it work?:**

A second later I received a silent response, AKA I had to freaking actually read it. **:Yup. See it's easy. I personally like the other way better though.:**

**:Me too. And are you guys always so literal about everything? Cause I was thinking that calling it the silent function is kinda lame. Why not call it super secret ninja no talky voice function or something?:**

When his next message pinged up on my HUD the first thing I heard upon opening it was his laughter. **:Because the higher ups are lame as you put it. So when are you going to be able to get out of the med bay? I was thinking that we could prank Ratchet first.:**

**:Umm I don't know. Right now we're waiting for Jazz to come visit...and help me learn how to use the comm. link system. Not that I need help really. And after that I have no idea.:**

**:Annoy him with the comm. link system! Show him that you know how to use it!:** Sides cackled madly.

**:Ok!:**

With an evil grin I turned towards Ratchet's exposed back and switched to his comm. frequency. **:Oh Ratchet! Look what I figured out how to do!:** I sang out causing him to tense and whip around in my direction.

"Oh slag me sideways!" He cursed.

At that moment the doors to the med bay slid open and Jazz walked in looking confused. "Why did ya say dat Ratch?" He hopped up onto my berth and moved me into his lap.

Before Ratchet could answer I turned to Jazz and chirped happily. "Because I was annoying him through the comm. link!"

"Ya figured ou' how ta use it on yo'r own den?"

I switched over to Jazz's frequency and quickly sent him a message. **:Yup! I still haven't used the public link though!:**

A wide grin spread across his metallic lips. "Dat's mah sparklin'! Yo'r so smart ain'cha?"

"Yup!" He hugged me tightly nuzzling me like he had grown fond of doing. A soft cooing sound built up in my chest causing him to smile and rev his engine at me in a soft purr. The bond we shared was filled with love like nothing I had ever imagined before almost like a physical touch or hug wrapping me in its warmth. How he loved me so much in such a short time was beyond me, like nothing I had ever expected. But even more surprising was how much my own spark felt for him in return in just as short a time. It was like as soon as a bond was formed the affection and adoration was instantaneous.

Being in his arms made me feel safer than anywhere else I had ever been before. I loved it. It made me want to act like a baby just so that he would coddle me. Not that I would actually do that. Nor did I feel like I really had to because it felt like he would coddle me and love on me no matter what I did.

We sat there for roughly five kliks or so just cuddling, feeling no need to use words to convey anything. But eventually my...I didn't know what exactly to call him since I didn't know the Cybertronian term, had to go. He sat me down reluctantly and stood to leave but not before shooting Ratchet a warning look. "Keep mah sparklin' safe while ah'm gone or else ah'll weld ya ta da ceilin."

Ratchet snorted. "Yes of course. Now get to your patrol Jazz, Ironhide is waiting in the main hangar."

With one last lingering look my adoptive father left us to our silence. "Ratchet?"

Ratchet paused in turning to whatever he was working on to give me his attention. "Yes femme?"

"What do you call a father in Cybertronian?"

"Opiluck...and a femme creator, mother, is called a danniluk." He came over and sat down on his stool thingy next to where I was sitting. "Do you have any other questions for me?"

I looked down at my lap. "Do you think Jazz would mind if I called him opiluck?"

"No I do not think so. In fact I think that he would like it very much." He sat there for a moment not saying anything and looking bothered by something. "You said the night that we first met that your creators did not want you did you not? How do you know this?"

Pain lanced through every fiber of my being at the soft and almost hesitant question. Being abandoned was not something that I liked talking about...it wasn't something that I really thought about. Uncle Ron and Aunt Judy never really knew why my actual father...if he was even really my father, abandoned me on their doorstep with a letter saying who left me. They didn't know who my mother was, and when they asked my Uncle Ron's brother AKA my father he just said that he didn't want anything to do with me. After a few months he disappeared completely from their lives without a single trace... Uncle Ron thought that he may have passed during an excursion somewhere since he was an archeologist who traveled all over the world looking for artifacts and oddities. But we never knew for sure.

"My Uncle said that my dad...if he even really is my dad," I sighed painfully and pulled my knees up to my chest like I normally did when I was feeling a negative emotion like pain or fear. "well he left me on their doorstep one night with a letter saying who left me there. When they confronted him about me he just said that he wanted nothing to do with me. They had no idea who my mother was so they ended up keeping me. And the rest is history pretty much."

"I highly doubt that this male was really your creator Clare..." Ratchet told me bluntly. "Your real creators must have abandoned you and this human probably found you somewhere. Cybertronian creators share a strong bond with their sparklings, but there are those that do abandon their young ones. As reprehensible as it is to think about."

I shrugged. How was I supposed to know anything about them? Only a week ago I thought I was a normal human who's parents just hadn't wanted her. Now I knew that I was the complete opposite of a regular human seeing as how I wasn't even a human! Now Ratchet was in a roundabout way telling me that not only had I been abandoned by my human equilvelant to a father, but that I had also been abandoned by my Cybertronian creators... Whoever they were. "I guess I've always been an unwanted child huh?"

Ratchet gave me a sympathetic look. "No I do not think so. Jazz certainly cares for you very much as do your human family members."

That was true... "I know." It was all that I could think to say to him. He was right and I understood what he was saying. The pain did lessen until I was able to completely force it away. I moved to change the subject to a much lighter one. "So when do I get to leave the med bay?"

Ratchet scowled at me. "I do not like that troublesome look on your face femme."

I cocked my head cutely. "What look?"

He opened his mouth to say something only to seemingly think better of it. Shaking his helm he made a shooing motion with his servos. "You can leave now. Just do not come back unless you're injured or dying."

With a delighted squeal I jumped up from the berth and dashed to the end nearest to the door to jump off of it without a moments hesitation. My body was jarred slightly from the force of which I landed but surprisingly there was no pain, without another seconds hesitation I raced out the door to find Sideswipe.

However it was not my intention to run smack into a large leg just outside the door. I let out a soft **'oof'** and flailed backwards so hard that I almost did fall. Only a quick servo saved me from meeting the ground.

"Ratchet let you out of the med bay already?" Optimus's deep baritone voice asked warmly.

I looked up at his towering form and grinned widely. "Yup! I was bothering him with the comm. link so he wanted to get rid of me as soon as possible!" As soon as I was completely upright Optimus let me go upon seeing that I was no longer in danger of falling.

He chuckled at me. "Already wreaking havoc young one?"

I pointed a finger at him and shook it. "Hey I'll have you know that I am completely innocent of any accusations until proven guilty in a court of law!" We sat in silence following my declaration until I finally lost it and doubled over in laughter at his clueless look. "You should see the look on your face right now!"

He cocked his helm at me, and let me tell you it was adorable coming from a thirty foot plus mech. It only made me laugh harder.

He seemed to think better of making any comment on my behavior. "Behave yourself Clare." He admonished me softly before he stepped around me and entered the med bay.

Pffft yeah right! As soon as he was out of sight I took off running towards the living quarters.** :SIDES! I'M OUT OF THE MED BAY! COME FIND ME!:**

**:Where are you at right now?:**

**:Going towards the living quarters! Where are you at?:** I raced around a corner to a corridor that I hadn't been in yet catching sight of Sides dragging Sunstreaker out of a room near the end of it. "Sides! Hi Sunnyshine!" I called up to them.

"Don't call me that." Sunstreaker growled. Oooh he was in a worse mood than normal!

I cocked my head to the side cutely. "Sunnysideup?" Sides snickered at me and moved to pick me up and place me on his shoulder.

"No." Sunstreaker deadpanned irritably. He turned towards Sides and scowled at him. "Why do I have to be dragged into your stupid pranks when you already have an accomplice?"

"Clare can't help me with everything Sunny! Just stop being such a heap and help us out! You know you want to!" Sides' comment earned him a swift smack to the helm from his brother. He didn't seem like he minded it much or maybe he was just used to it. Probably the latter I guessed from what I had seen so far.

"What are you planning on doing to him anyways?"

I perked head swiveling in Sides' direction for the answer.

"I was thinking about pelting him with paint bombs...in a very masculine shade of neon pink." Sides snickered.

I giggled. "Only pink? What about neon purple? Or green?"

Sides turned to me with a mischievious grin. "First rule of pranking femme: never unleash everything you have all at once. We'll save those other colors for a different day...or maybe for Ironhide when he gets back from patrol."

It still seemed to need something in my mind. "Have you ever made sticky paint?"

His optics flashed in interest. "Sticky paint? If that's what it sounds like it must be good."

I grinned evilly. "Oh it's exactly what it sounds like! One time when I was like eleven I made some purple sticky paint and pelted Sam with it...and I may or may not have wrestled a tutu onto him afterwards and snapped some photos hehe... A bright pink tutu."

Both of them couldn't resist laughing at that well more like a snort/laugh from Sunstreaker. Sides however would have doubled over if I hadn't been on his shoulder I think. "I want to see pictures of that so bad! Next time you come bring some!"

"I will. But for now we should make some sticky paint! And we need to find something to stick all over Ratchet!"

The three of us looked back and forth at each other...and smirked. Watch out Ratchet...here we come!

* * *

Several hours later I was armed with neon pink sticky paint, and an armful of some of the soldiers clean boxers. Let me tell you some of these boxers were the most emasculating things I had ever seen in my life! One pair had Betty Boop sticking her ass out printed all over the surface, another had Spongebob. Yes Spongebob, printed all over them. I almost died just finding the pairs I wanted to stick all over Ratchet. The worst part of this was that this adhesive paint was strong as heck thanks to some help from Sideswipe, and it was strong before. Now it was just beast!

Right now the three of us were setting up a spring trap above the door so that I could load the boxers into it so that when Ratchet got pelted with the paint he would trip the spring trap and send the boxers fluttering onto his new paint job! Sides quickly put the last touches on it and lifted me so that I could pile the boxers into it!

With the trap complete we backed off and got ready to pelt Ratchet with paint as soon as he stepped out the door... Which should be any astrosecond now.

A loud swishing sound had me holding my breath as the med bay doors slid open and Ratchet stepped out.

**:Now!:** Sides shouted over the comm. link.

With a resonating war cry Sides and I started pelting Ratchet with sticky paint bombs eliciting an enraged sounding roar from him! In his rage he lunged forward and triggered the spring trap sending a flurry of boxers to rain down on his sticky pink form. "WHAT THE SLAG?! SIDESWIPE!" He roared angrily smoke billowing from his vents too fast for it to be considered healthy.

Sides and I busted out laughing at the pair of superman boxers sticking to Ratchet's face plates giving each other a quick high five. Then both twins turned and took off running in the opposite direction as fast as they could when Ratchet came sprinting at us. I had to clutch at Sides' audio hard to prevent myself from falling off from how fast he was running.

"Get back here you pit spawns!"

Something went sailing past me hitting the wall with a clang and in the process almost hitting me. I turned to yell at Ratchet. "Hey! That almost hit me you assnugget!" Seriously! He could see me up here so why would he throw a wrench at me?!

"You're as responsible for this as they are!" Ratchet bellowed.

We went sliding around a corner into the main hangar where Optimus was standing talking to Lennox. The Autobot leader only looked up briefly at us before shaking his helm and turning back to what he was doing. Well he had known everyone here with the exceptions of the human soldiers and I for a long time so he was probably used to it.

"I'M GOING TO KEY YOUR ALT MODE SUNSTREAKER!" Ratchet roared.

I don't know what that meant but it made Sunstreaker shudder. So I'm guessing that it was pretty bad whatever it was. Another wrench went sailing past us almost nailing me again. A shrill squeak escaped me. "HEY! STOP TRYING TO KILL ME WITH THOSE THINGS!"

Sides moved me so that he was cradling me against his chassis, thus keeping me from getting nailed by any stray wrenches. That was implying that Ratchet was not meaning to throw them at me...which I was pretty sure that he did mean to.

"I'M GOING TO KEY BOTH OF YOUR ALT MODES INTO THE UGLIEST EARTH VEHICLE I CAN FIND!"

We dashed outside and took off like a bat out of hell in the opposite direction from the base in an attempt to lose Ratchet. It became clear that we had been successful after only a few moments when his enraged yelling disappeared. Sides and Sunstreaker slowed to a stop on a hill overlooking a deserted stretch of beach.

Both plopped down on the soft sand though Sunstreaker looked hesitant to do so, probably worried about his paint. I slid down into Sides' lap and leaned back against his abdomen comfortably. "Well that was fun! Even the parts where I almost got high impact wrenched. That's what I'm going to call it by the way." I chirped brightly.

Sides high fived me again. "It was fun. Ratchet is probably going to reformat us into toasters or something when we get back, but it was fun. Your idea was brilliant Clare."

"Yeah I know I'm awesome." I stated smugly. Something occurred to me then making me gasp. "No! I didn't have a camera to take a picture! Oh...how fucking tragic."

Sides cocked his helm to the side curiously. "Ratchet didn't show you how to take still photos with your optics?"

My eyes grew inhumanly wide. "You can do that?!" I jumped up in his lap and pointed at him accusingly. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME THAT EARLIER?! AAARRRGHHH!" I plopped down with a pout and turned away from him.

"Umm I thought Ratchet showed you how." His response came out as more of a question.

"No. Probably because he figured I'd use the skill for something like this." I grumbled. But then a thought occurred to me...they could take these still photos. As soon as that thought crossed my mind I turned and sprung up to his chassis in one jump. "DID YOU TAKE ANY PICTURES?! PLEASE TELL ME THAT YOU DID!"

It was Sunstreaker that answered me with a disgruntled snort. "Of course we did. Do you think that we would ever pass up an opportunity to get slag on Ratchet?"

"IwannaseeIwannaseeIwannaseeIwannasee!" I bounced up and down like a maniac on Sides before leaping onto Sunstreaker's lap without a thought. He gave me a look and muttered something about paint, but otherwise he did not try and remove me much to my surprise.

"You almost remind me of Blurr or Bluestreak right now...and I hate those two idiots." Sunstreaker muttered.

"But you don't hate me so show me the picture!" In a flash I had managed to get right into his face forcing him to move back slightly to try and get some distance between us. I kept inching towards his face everytime he moved back.

"Femme back up." He growled.

"Nope. Not until you show me!"

Poor Sides looked between the two of us completely bemused. "Wow... Normally he would have squished whatever was invading his personal space. And you say that you don't like Clare Sunny! If you didn't she'd be either squished or you'd have smacked her away by now!"

"I do not like her. She's just like a growth of some kind...that won't go away."

"Like mold!" I supplied helpfully. "Now show your growth the picture Sunnyboy!"

Sides laughed at me. "Yeah show her the picture Sunnyboy!"

"DO. NOT. CALL. ME. THAT!" Sunstreaker hissed dangerously.

"Well I could call you streak but well that's what it's called when people strip naked and run around in public. Somehow I don't think you'd like that! So it's either Sunnyboy, Sunnyshine, Sunnysideup, or Sunny because your real name is a mouthful seriously. And we're getting off topic! You still haven't shown me the picture yet."

"Have Sides show you. And don't call me any of those things!"

"Nope! You show me! And I'm going to call you one of those things even if you don't like it! So you better pick the one that you hate the least!" I smiled innocently at him like I had done nothing wrong. He gave me an unimpressed look and raised a servo as if to flick me off of his shoulder or something but let it drop instead.

He gave an irritated huff. "You're as annoying as Side is... So I'll treat you like I treat him when he annoys me." A dangerous smirk spread across his lips.

It was the only warning I had before I was suddenly being toted towards the shoreline by firm servos. "SIDES HELP ME!" I cried once I realized where this was going. But as soon as I cried out Sunstreaker reared back and tossed me like a sack of rocks into the water.

I gasped as I went from being dry to being completely soaked in an astrosecond flailing wildly to try and propel myself to the surface again. I broke through the water with a loud gasp...oohhhh I was pretty sure that I saw a shark or something down there! That thought had me high tailing it back to shore which was a fair distance away from where I had come up. Oh I was so going to get back at Sunstreaker's smugly smiling aft for this!

My clothes were dripping wet along with my hair when I finally made it onto land. I rung them out and pushed my side bangs out of my eyes so that I could glare at Sunstreaker. "You assnugget! You are so going to get it!" With a shrill cry I lunged at him and rubbed my soaking wet body all over his leg.

His smug look instantly fell at the first touch of my soaking wet self. "CLARE! YOU'LL MAKE ME RUST!" He shouted some choice curse words and grabbed at me.

"I COULD'VE BEEN EATEN BY A SHARK!" I yelled back as I quickly scaled his armor like a monkey making sure that I got every inch that I passed wet. "YOU SAW JAWS! YOU KNOW THE DANGERS OF THE OCEAN! WHAT IF JAWS HAD BEEN THERE TO EAT ME?! I'M PRETTY SURE THAT I SAW HIM DOWN THERE!"

"FEMME IF YOU MAKE ME RUST I'M GOING TO KICK YOUR AFT! AND JAWS IS JUST A MOVIE IT'S NOT REAL!"

"OH REALLY?!" I quickly climbed back down and turned my back to him. "Here I'll bend over and make it easier to kick!" With that I bent over and waited for him to kick my aft. Only he didn't kick it. No one did anything and it was strangely quiet.

When I turned back towards them I noticed that their attention was completely trained on my butt. I squeaked in embarrassment and turned back towards them. "You perverts! You were supposed to kick my ass not stare at it!"

They snapped out of their staring looking sheepish, or at least Sides did Sunstreaker looked angry again for some reason. "Why would either of us kick your cute little aft when we can stare at it?"

Oh god he was perving out on me again! Luckily Sunstreaker reached out and smacked him again. "Idiot!"

At the same time that Sunstreaker said that I sputtered dumbly. "MY ASS IS NOT CUTE!" A furious blush broke out across my cheeks as I grabbed my ass as if to protect it from their perverseness. **OMG MAYBE I SHOULD COVER MY BOOBS TOO?!** As soon as the thought crossed my mind I had one arm wrapped around my chest protectively as well. "You're worse than the boys at school!"

"What do you expect? You're adorable." Sides shrugged.

"I AM NOT ADORABLE! WHAT GIRL EVEN WANTS TO BE CALLED THAT?!" My cheeks were so hot at this point that I could probably fry eggs on them or something! I had never been so freaking embarrassed in my entire life!

"Ok adorable...and pretty. Very pretty. Is that better?"

I gaped at him swiftly turning to Sunstreaker. "Smack him again!" I demanded.

Surprisingly the golden mech reached out and cuffed his brother again for me. "Stop perving out on every femme you come into contact with idiot!"

"Yeah what he said you pervert!"

Sides looked between the two of us with a**_ 'wtf'_ **look on his face. "If I'm perving out on her than you were too! You stared too! And I don't perv out on every femme!" He protested. "Only cute ones!"

I was starting to get light headed! No one worth noting had ever called me cute or pretty and like any other virgin girl who had never had a boyfriend it was making me insanely embarrassed! "So you admit that you were perving out! You pervert!"

"How did this end up with both of you ganging up on me?" Sides held his arms up in a motion of surrender. "All I did was tell the truth! Can't friends compliment each other sometimes?"

"Yeah if it's not perving out on said friend! And I'm soaking wet! Someone take me back so I can shower and change!"

Sides got a glint in his optics as he went to open his mouth to comment only to yelp instead when Sunstreaker smacked him again. "WHAT DID I DO?!" He glared at his twin who was already glaring at him fiercely enough to make most people piss themselves.

"Just be quiet Sides! Didn't you say enough already?"

"I didn't say anything bad!" He protested. "You're the one that threw her into the water!"

"She was annoying me!" Sunstreaker hissed.

My glare swiftly changed targets. "You're still an assnugget for doing that!"

"Yeah Sunny! You're an aftnugget for throwing poor cute little Clare into the water with sharks!" Sides started glaring at him too. He suddenly inched over towards me and huddled down waving me closer. "What's a shark by the way?"

"A giant meat eating fish! I could've become fishy food!" We both swiftly glared at Sunstreaker who glared back at us.

"Screw this!" With an aggravated growl he turned and stomped away from us back in the direction that we had come. Seconds later he disappeared from sight and the loud roar of his engine could be heard suggesting that he had shifted to alt mode and took off.

"Baby."

"What a sparkling."

Sides and I turned towards each other and burst out laughing. "Did you see the look on his face?!" I flopped onto the sand laughing hysterically.

Sides chuckled at me. "I did. He's going to pout about it for at least a day or so." He scooped me up quickly carrying me off of the stretch of beach we were on. "We should get you back before Jazz gets back, I don't think he'd be very happy if he found out about what Sunny did to you."

"No?"

"Nope. He seems like a very protective creator, and I'd rather not see Sunny strung up from something by his peds."

Metal broke apart shifting around until I was seated in the plush interior of Sides' alt mode. I thought about what he said as we drove back to the base in silence. Something told me that he was right about the whole overprotective thing when it came to Jazz. It was kind of weird to think about when apparently every creator I had could have cared less about me. I came to the realization that I liked it, but I would also not make it a point to exaccerbate those tendencies.

Sides drove us back to base quickly not letting me out until we stopped in front of Jazz's room. I slid out stopping in front of the door. "Movie night after I'm done?" My voice came out sounding hopeful.

"We don't have tvs or anything to use yet. Jazz only has those cds because Epps let him borrow them." He sounded disappointed.

I deflated as well. "That sucks. Well what else can we do for fun besides pranking Ironhide when he gets back?"

He shifted to bi pedal mode and followed me as I turned to walk into the room and gather my things for a shower. "Well we could just prank Ironhide." He offered mischieviously.

I shook my head at him grabbing some pajamas and undergarments to wear. "Maybe not tonight. How about tomorrow before I leave? It probably wouldn't do to have two pissed off mechs chasing us around base at the same time would it?" Something occurred to me then and I blurted it out before he had time to answer what I just said. "Speaking of where is Ratchet? We haven't seen him since we got back. I kind of expected him to be laying in wait somewhere for an ambush."

"Me too. But don't jynx it femme, his paybacks are usually very painful."

Well damn. "I kind of expect that from him. Anyways let me shower then we can find something else to do!"

He nodded and picked me up to carry me into the wash racks down the hall. I was not exactly keen on using it since it was not unisex, but it seemed to be all they had on this base right now. So when Sides sat me down in front of the door I hesitantly peeked inside to see if anyone was there. Luckily I saw no one but that didn't mean that I was in the clear yet because someone could always walk in on me.

"Umm Sides...could you umm make sure that no guys come in here while I'm using it?"

"I figured you might ask me that." Sides grinned. "I'll make sure that nobot comes near this door until you come out. Now go on Clare." He gently pushed me inside and shut the door after me.

Looking around wildly as if someone was actually in here I placed my things save for my shampoo on the counter and raced over to the nearest shower head and turned it on to the temperature that I liked. I stepped under it and rinsed the salt water and sand off of myself, before reaching over and squirting shampoo into my hair. The suds ran down over my body coating my hair and skin in a soapy sheen that was quickly washed away by the hot water.

I thought back to everything that had happened today, learning how to use the comm. link, Ratchet questioning me, pranking him, going to the beach with Sides and Sunstreaker... I had a lot of fun, but spending time with them also made me think about what it would be like if I had always been with them. Chances are I wouldn't be confused about my own body and what it could do... I would know all the things that were important instead of being so lost now. Not that I hated my life or regretted being raised the way I had. It was just a strange notion.

The last of the suds slid off of my body and from my hair, so I turned the water off and stepped out of the spray to grab my towel and dry off near the counter. I dried off, threw my hair into a bun to keep it from wetting my clothes, then dressed myself in my green gir boxers and long sleeved black shirt.

Once I was decent I exited the wash racks where Sides was still waiting near the door like a sentry. He really was a sweetheart...er spark. He looked towards me with bright optics as soon as I set foot into the hallway. "That was pretty quick."

"Yeah well I didn't want to make you stay out here all night Sides."

"Such a considerate femme." He cooed mockingly.

I smacked his leg before we started down the hall towards my room. "Say Sides?"

"Hmm?"

"What is an electromagnetic disruptor?" It had just occurred to me that I had yet to ask anyone about that function on my HUD.

His helm snapped down in my direction optics alight with surprise and curiosity. "Well it's a mod that allows bots to turn invisible. Why do you ask?"

I cocked my head to the side as another question popped up on my tongue first. "You wouldn't see something like that on your HUD unless you had it right?"

"Nope. Some bots are sparked with mods like that. Why? Do you have it?" His optics lit up with the look that I noticed meant trouble.

"Well yeah it was there when I was poking around but..."

He stopped short and grinned madly at me. "YOU ACTUALLY HAVE THAT MOD?! SHOW ME!"

I thought about it for a moment but then shrugged.

After a quick search through my HUD I located the function and activated it.

And the next thing I knew my body was completely invisible! Cool! It did occur to me that I probably shouldn't be using mods and things that no one had actually explained to me yet but...

What's the worst that could happen?

* * *

R&amp;R! Cliffy! I'm thinking of how I can have some fun with this situation right here lol. Maybe have Clare get stuck somehow, or have her prank someone while using it. Anyways any suggestions would be nice. Check out the poll as well when you get a chance! So far Sunstreaker is winning!


	9. Chapter 9

So we're at over 2,500 views and almost 50 reviews! That is pretty awesome! Anyways I just wanted to let you all know how well the story was being received! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

Almost immediately after activating the electromagnetic disruptor I noticed something was wrong. My HUD, AKA my only way of activating and deactivating my body functions such as comm. link, and what I was now using was gone. I could no longer see it. This meant that I had no idea how to change back either. "Uh oh..." I gulped.

Sides cocked his helm to the side curiously. "What's wrong Clare?"

"Umm my HUD disappeared. How do I change back without it?" It was freaking gone! Like so gone that it was like it had never been there! What the heck was I supposed to do now? Was there even a way to change back without the HUD? Somehow I knew that at this point even if there was I wouldn't be able to figure it out.

"Oh scrap." Sides mumbled. "Your new upgrades must have glitched for some reason. Slag! This means that we have to take you to Ratchet."

My jaw dropped, not that he could see it, as I sputtered. "What?! He'll squish me with that wrench!"

"No he won't. He'll probably hit me with it but I'm used to it." He bent down to scoop me up in his servos with a smile meant to reassure me obviously. "Everything will be ok Clare. I can still sense your heat signature so as long as you stay close there should be no problems."

I would have nodded if I had not remembered that he could not see it... Instead I slumped down into his chassis and pressed my face against it. "Ok." I mumbled grumpily.

We walked briskly towards the med bay with dread welling up inside...well inside me at least. Sides looked pretty worried though so I figured that he was was probably imagining his soon to be wrenching courtesy of Ratchet. I wondered if Ratchet would be angry about this little mess we just caused? Somehow I got the feeling that he would not be pleased.

Sides walked into the med bay and called out. "Ratchet? Clare had a little accident."

There was no response. I saw Sides furrow his optic ridges as his optics dimmed down signalling that he was using the comm. link now to ascertain where Ratchet had gone to. I sat there nestled safely in his servos while he conversed or whatever.

It was while he was doing that the med bay doors slid open revealing Sunstreaker. He took one look at Sides standing there and raised an optic ridge at him. "Sides what the slag are you doing standing here? Ratchet, Ironhide, and Optimus went to apparently meet some new arrivals or something."

"HI SUNNY!" I yelled startling him ya know since I was invisible and all. He scowled.

"Where the slag is Clare?" Then his optics shifted and zoomed in on the space where I was being held, and his helm tilted in towards me as well as he sniffed at me. "What the slag? Clare?"

"Yup!"

"Do I wanna know?" He sighed and leaned back against the wall for once not even looking angry, instead he just looked exasperated.

Sides optics brightened back up. "I didn't even know that there were any new arrivals coming. Why didn't Optimus tell us?" He pouted. One of his fingers, AKA digits, came up to play with my invisible hair like it was the coolest thing ever. "And what are we supposed to do with Clare until Ratchet gets back?"

Sunstreaker shrugged. "I just found out about the new arrivals too, but I don't think Optimus knew until today when we picked them up on our scanners. Apparently they were coming in hot too so they left to meet them. As for Clare, well she's stuck until Ratchet comes back. Luckily Jazz is due back any klik now, he'll know what to do with her."

I pouted. "Everyone wants to get rid of me..."

"What do you expect?" Sunstreaker smirked at me. "You're annoying."

I gasped and pointed an accusing finger at him. "AM NOT! And I'm pointing at you right now you buttfuck!"

Sides shook his helm. "What is with all of these words you use?"

"I'm just cool that's what's up with my words!" My body flopped back to sag against Sides' chassis as I lay there slumped in defeat. What the heck was I supposed to do until everyone came back so that Ratchet could fix me? Would Sides leave me behind if he wanted to go and do something? "So what do we do until Ratchet comes back?"

"Well I'll keep you with me until Jazz comes back." Sides shrugged. "Then we'll take it from there." He turned to his twin after lifting me onto his shoulder. "Did anybot tell you how far out the new arrivals were? How long do you think it will take?"

Sunstreaker shrugged, and you know what I noticed when he did that? That he looked exactly the same as Sides when he did that! Oh I was getting off track again when I had to listen to Sunstreaker. "They weren't far out actually. From what I was told they were near the military base on the mainland that sees to our air travel needs. So maybe a groon."

An hour?! I was going to be stuck like this for an hour?! I growled and smacked myself on the forehead repeatedly. An hour of being stuck invisible?! What if I got lost or something?!

"Clare don't hit yourself." Sides laughed at me moving to make me stop beating on myself. His first attempt missed as I was freaking invisible, but the second attempt he was actually able to grab my arm gently and put it down to my side. "We'll figure something out! And look at it this way!" His look turned devious and from the corner of my eye I saw Sunstreaker tense. "You're invisible. That means we can prank everybot on base and get away with it!"

My eyes widened as that revelation hit me. "YEAH WE CAN! LET'S GO AND PRANK THE SOLDIERS!"

"Yeah let's do it!" Sides cheered and together we tore out of the room like a bat out of hell.

Immediately an idea hit me. "Sides let's go grab a white sheet from my room!" He turned in that direction and suddenly took off at a much faster and smooth pace. I looked down at his peds and instead of being how they normally were there were now wheels on them instead. Since when could he do that?

He didn't give me time to question it when he slid to a stop in front of my door and sat me down. "Hurry up Clare!" He gently pushed me inside.

I bounded inside and grabbed a white sheet off of the bed and ran back over to him so that he could lift me up onto his shoulder again. We turned and raced past Sunstreaker who was following after us for some reason. I waved at him temporarily forgetting that he couldn't see me. When I remembered that I just shrugged, 'it's the thought that counts.'

We took off down the hall towards rec room where a mess of human soldiers were making a ruckus. "Ok Sides sit me down and watch! They're gonna piss themselves!" I cackled madly, shrugging the white sheet on over my head I moved forward into the room.

All heads snapped up in my direction as I opened my mouth and unleashed my best imitation of a ghastly wail. "OOOOOOOOOHHHHHHH..." Several of them scowled at me, others backed away as if I was insane, and the rest just looked like they didn't know what to think. Epps, who apparently stayed behind when the bots and Lennox went to greet the new arrivals walked over and put his hands on his hips.

"Real funny Clare. Take it off." He looked amused not mad as he reached out and yanked the sheet off of me.

Almost immediately the room was filled with rather girlish screams from at least fifty human men. Epps leapt back and released his own rather feminine scream as a throng of soldiers rushed by to get out of the room and away from the ghost knocking him over in the process. Before they could all get out I ran around the room shaking the tables and throwing silverware and cups while keeping up my ghostly moans and screams.

"Oh my fucking god it's a ghost!"

"Dude I can't handle this I have phasmophobia!"

"I'm asking for a transfer tonight!"

I listened to the screams and shouts of the fleeing men until they disappeared leaving me in the silence of the now empty room. In half a second I was bent over laughing hysterically as Sides stumbled into the room and fell onto the wall for support as he too laughed his aft off. "Oh my god! Oh my god! Did you see that shit Sides?! Epps screamed like a little girl!" My hysterical laughter picked up again as soon as I was finished talking forcing my ass to hit the ground because I couldn't keep myself upright anymore.

Sunstreaker walked in smirking. "Even I have to admit that was funny."

I choked on a laugh and started kicking the table I was sitting near wildly causing it to topple over. I stumbled to my feet and somehow made my way over to fall onto Sunstreaker who was the closer of the two. "Epps...screams...like a...little girl! Didju...see that...shit?!" I choked and sputtered unable to catch my breath.

"Yeah I saw it."

Sides and I finally calmed down after a few kliks of our maniacal laughter. I grabbed my sheet and tied it onto my neck like a cape as I worked to catch my breath. Maybe being invisible wasn't so bad after all? It was actually freaking cool as hell! "So what do we do now?"

It was silent as Sides stared at me. "PRANK WAR!" With that he had turned on his peds and rushed out of the room.

"Ummm I thought he was supposed to keep an optic on me because of my little predicament?" I couldn't resist the urge to giggle at his boisterous aft though. He was adorable and funny on top of being handsome. Call me crazy but I think that I was starting to have a little crush on him. Not that it would ever work out because there would be no just taking one of them, pursuing Sides or him pursuing me would end up with me having to take Sunstreaker as well. And while I would accept that and do my best to care for both, well Sunstreaker did not like me. So yeah, no way would it ever work out.

Sunstreaker shrugged. "That's the least of our worries Clare." He leaned down and picked me up with his ever present scowl on his face. "We should be more worried about what pranks he's going to hit us with." I found myself being deposited on his shoulder as he walked out of the room.

"Hey you're actually talking to me after what happened earlier! Sides said that you would pout and ignore me for a few days at least."

His scowl deepened. "I do not pout femme."

"What you're doing right now could be considered pouting." I pointed out. His suddenly stormy blue optics shot in my direction. I hastened to back track before he tossed me onto the floor and left me to my own devices, AKA Sides' all out prank war. "But then again it looks too masculine to be a pout."

"That's what I thought." He muttered.

I clutched at his helm fin as we walked to ensure that I would not fall if his twin came out of nowhere and pulled a sneak attack of some kind. "So what do we do about Sides? Wanna team up and weld him to something?"

Sunstreaker snorted. "Maybe. Primus knows that it might help straighten him out." We continued walking down the corridor to the supply rooms for some reason, probably to raid what supplies Sides had left behind. Or maybe Sunstreaker thought that Sides would never think to look for us here. The large golden mech took me into a storage room and sat me down on the floor. "Grab anything that looks useful."

Nodding briefly I turned and grabbed paint of various colors, adhesives, titanium cables, a welding torch, and some gas for it. Turning I handed them over to Sunstreaker who did that weird thing the bots did where they held stuff in front of their chassis and it just disappeared. "How come I can't do that?" I pouted. So not fair.

"You probably can. Ratchet just has to show you how to activate your subspace." He muttered distractedly as he took stock of what we had. After looking the rest over he nodded and supspaced it. "Ok we're good. Let's head to the living quarters and set up a spring trap for him there."

"In pink! Then we can knock him out and paint my little ponies all over him!" I got out in a rush after being deposited on his shoulder again.

"My little ponies? What the slag is that?" Sunstreaker grumped as we left the room and started down the corridor again. For some reason I had the strongest urge to laugh when he actually said my little ponies. It was probably the image of such a masculine, good looking mech saying something so feminine and emasculating.

"Umm it's a tv franchise about little ponies in all kinds of girly colors. Can you imagine if he woke up painted helm to ped in girly looking ponies in various colors?" Then again I wasn't very good at painting so maybe it would be better if Sunstreaker did the ponies. "Maybe you should paint the ponies actually. You are better at painting than I am."

He sighed stopping in the middle of the hall so that he could look up what they looked like. It was obvious to me when he found what I was referring to because his entire expression changed to a giant cringe. Then within seconds it morphed into a smug smirk. "Payback for that time that he painted me in my recharge." His optics brightened as we set off again.

"So how do we knock him out?"

Sunstreaker grunted. "Well if you can distract him for me I can get behind him and take him down. That's if you do a good job. If not he'll know something is up."

Well that was easier said than done! "Well how should I distract him?"

"Figure something out." Sunstreaker growled. "I'm not going to hold your servo through all of this femme. Either figure something out or the prank will fail."

I glared at him before remembering that he could not see it. My expression quickly fell into a pout. It kind of sucked being invisible sometimes especially when you wanted to glare at someone and they couldn't see it.

We walked down the hall in silence after that, brooding. I tried to think of what to do to distract Sides so that we could enact my awesome plan, Sunstreaker scowled and grumbled the whole way, and I was still stumped on what to do. Maybe I could let him prank me and while he was busy laughing or gloating Sunstreaker could take him down from behind. That might work! Hopefully whatever prank he pulled wasn't too damaging to my poor little body.

"He's coming this way." Sunstreaker's voice broke the silence.

My head snapped up eyes shooting around wildly. "Ok put me down and let me distract him." I whispered only loud enough for Sunny to hear.

He sat me down and moved into a room to hide. I stood there with my cape draped down to my feet shaking with nerves as the red menace stalked into view with a wicked smirk. That smirk was like the perfect combination of scary and sexy I tell you. I blushed like mad and backed away from his approach so that there was room for Sunstreaker to get behind him. "Sides what are you doing? Don't do anything hasty ok?" I stammered. Fuck acting nervous for the sake of it! I really was nervous!

That smirk transformed into a full out wicked grin. "Don't worry Clare." He cooed at me as he slid forward on his wheeled peds his servo snatching a small paint bomb from his subspace. Well it was small to him! The damn thing would cover me completely! "I'm just going to cover you in this nifty little invention you showed me..." He slid closer to me. "Then I'm going to stick this on you."

My eyes widened in horror when he pulled out a skimpy two piece bathing suit. "WHERE DID YOU EVEN GET THAT?!" No way was I going to put that thing on and prance around with my bits showing! My poor little virgin mind was already shorting out at the thought!

"Well I can't tell you that...it's a secret." He skated a few feet closer to me forcing me to move back to keep the distance... "Now let's see just how pretty that protoform is."

I shrieked in terror as he dashed towards me and like an idiot I turned and took off running like a maniac in the opposite direction. "NOOOOOOOOO! YOU FILTHY PERVERT! YOU'LL NEVER GET ME IN A TWO PIECE SWIMSUIT EVER!"

In my frenzied attempt to get away from him I did not even register the loud bang or startled curse coming from Sides. I kept running actually until I ran smack into something hard which sent me sprawling back on my ass. Familiar silver paint was the first thing that I saw upon opening my eyes, those normally visor covered optics wide and staring at the space where I was. "Opi!" I shouted in relief.

"Sweetlin'?" He questioned warily bending down to scoop me up. "Wha' happened ta ya?"

"Oh well I activated this thing called an electromagnetic disruptor and it kinda turned me invisible, and well my HUD apparently glitched so I can't turn myself visible again! So I'm stuck like this until Ratchet gets back!"

"Ya 'ave one of 'hose? Dat's cool." He grinned and put me on his shoulder. "So wha' are ya runnin from?"

"Oh Sides..." My eyes widened when I remembered Sunstreaker and my plan! "Opi we gotta go back that way! Come on!" I pointed for a moment forgetting that he couldn't see it, I growled when I realized this and pushed his cheek. "Back the way I came!"

"Ahright ahright! Jus' let meh ge' movin." He took us back to the spot where Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were.

When we got there Sides was laying on the ground unconscious with Sunstreaker rushing to paint him pink. "Come on and help me femme!" He snapped when he noticed Jazz standing there with my sheet hanging off of his shoulder. "If we don't hurry he'll wake back up!"

"Sit me down opi."

Jazz nodded and sat me down on the floor near Sides' helm, but the slight widening of his smile had not escaped my notice. Nor had the sudden feelings of pure unadulterated joy coursing through our bond.** [I like it when ya call meh dat.]**

Relief shot straight through to my spark. **[So I can call you that all the time?]** I asked hopefully.

**[Yup of cou'se ya can mah spark. Ah am yo'r opiluck so i's only natural dat ya call meh dat.]**

I grinned widely, not that anyone could see it and joined Sunstreaker in painting Sides dark purple. My happiness and joy was like a tangible force seeping out of me and into my only father figure. His acceptance had just made me so happy that I couldn't help myself. It might not seem like much to anyone else but to me he had given me the single greatest thing that anyone had ever given me, a real loving parent figure. And this time I felt for sure that I would not be abandoned by him. Not ever.

**[No' eva.]** He promised.

My giddiness only grew to the point that I was almost trembling as Sunstreaker and I quickly and efficiently painted Sides pink with my little ponies scrawled all over his front armor. I laughed wickedly as Sunstreaker gave a dark chuckle of malicious pleasure. It made a cold shiver creep down my spine making me tingle.

In what seemed like no time at all we finished our little project and stepped back. "It's perfect." I gasped in awe with tears brimming in the corner of my eyes. "This...is a real kodak moment." I sniffled dramatically.

"Now to take still pictures for blackmail use." Sunstreaker gave a feral grin and the rapid dimming of his optics signalled that he had taken several still photos in succession. "If he ever thinks to paint me in my recharge again I'll use these as leverage to make him rethink it."

Jazz looked back and forth between the two of us in amusement. "Poo' Sides."

My mouth opened as I went to respond only to freeze when Sides groaned and shifted indicating to us that he was coming out of recharge...or unconsciousness, whatever you want to call it. An evil grin spread across my face as anticipation coursed through me.

He sat up rubbing at his helm while looking around curiously. "Uhhh what the slag happened?" The pink gleam from his armor caught his optic literally in half an astorsecond. The next thing any of us knew he gave a startled shout and jumped to his peds. "WHAT THE FRAG?!"

Laughter bubbled up inside of me causing me to double over with hysterical cackles. "Oh my god! This was the best prank ever!" My legs went out from under me sending me tumbling to the ground where I proceeded to roll around and kick my feet like a maniac. "Tha-that's what you get for trying to glue a skimpy bikini on me!"

Sides whipped around to glare at me at the same moment that Jazz murmured, "Bikini? Wha's dat?"

"This means war Clare!" He suddenly lunged at me making me squeak as he was suddenly sprawled over me with his knees on either side of my invisible legs. Before anyone could react he smeared me in the purple sticky paint he had stored in his subspace, and then too fast for anyone to even hope to stop I found myself plastered onto the top of Sunstreaker's helm.

"SIDESWIPE!"

"SIDES NO!" I cried as my chin and front became stuck to Sunstreaker's helm. Literally I could not move an inch unless I wanted to tear my skin off.

Said bot grinned evilly at our new predicament. "Paybacks my femme are a glitch."

Before I could react Sunstreaker roared and launched himself at Sideswipe. I screamed as the body I was stuck to crashed into Sides sending them both crashing to the floor where they proceeded to roll around like barbarians with me stuck in the crossfire.

A jarring impact sent horrible vibrations through me when Sides slammed his fist into Sunstreaker's cheek. I squealed and forced myself to keep my eyes open so that the sticky paint wouldn't glue them shut as well. But it was freaking scary being this close to two giant titans brawling when I literally had no way to get away, **BECAUSE I WAS GLUED TO ONE!**

Sunstreaker reached out and started smacking Sides' helm into the floor before Sides retaliated by stiff arming him so hard that he fell to the side.

He rolled right over onto my right leg nearly crushing it, or maybe he did. I released a pained shrieking sound that sounded almost like metal grinding against metal as I felt my limb almost being flattened.

Immediately several things happened in quick succession. First: the angry roar of an engine drowned out the growling that the twins were doing. Second: Sides' helm whipped in my direction with concern shining in his optics. And third, and probably the most surprising: Sunstreaker quickly reached back in a flash since he could not look at me and gently touched me to see if I was ok. At least that was what I was thinking.

As much as I was thinking when my leg was literally crushed and hurting like a mother fucker. I whimpered fighting back tears that threatened to leak from my eyes as the sound of my leg sparking due to the injury reached my ears...audios.

"Look at what you two did!" My father growled angrily. "You crushed her leg!" His servos tried to pry me off of Sunstreaker but stilled when I released another pained whimper when my skin pulled not so pleasantly. I could clearly feel his anger and protectiveness bleeding through over anything else at the moment. "And now she's stuck to Sunstreaker so I can't even look at it!"

I couldn't see Sunstreaker's face but Sides did actually manage to look guilty. "I didn't mean for that to happen Clare. Are...is it bad?" He shifted closer to us peering at my paint covered sparking leg even though it was hard to see anything with the thick purple liquid coating it.

It felt like something had even torn through the skin and it hurt like hell! I didn't tell him that though. "It's not so bad." I tried to make it sound like I wasn't trying not to cry, but my voice came out nothing more than a pained whisper. Jazz slid in through the bond to help take some of the pain away but it was still strong.

"Ratchet an' da o'hers are almos' here. We shoul' take Clare ta da med bay an' meet 'im dere."

Sides helped Sunstreaker up gently touching me to comfort me as we started walking to the med bay. I gritted my teeth with every step Sunstreaker took, each jostling me and making my already throbbing leg throb even more. Well if I had learned one thing it was never to underestimate Sides' resoursefulness...or Sunstreaker's explosive temper. To do so was to get hurt in whatever chaos erupted afterwards.

As we walked I could only look where Sunstreaker walked since my chin was glued onto his helm. For the most part he looked straight ahead, only at one point changing the direction of his gaze and that was when we walked past the hangar where the others were pulling in. I took in the familiar forms that I knew, along with the three small motorbikes that I did not. One was blue and that one stayed close to Ironhide. Another was purple, and the last was an orange color almost pink it seemed. Sunstreaker quickly looked away in what seemed like disinterest as Ratchet transformed and stomped over to us.

"Move it Sunstreaker!" He snapped. It did not escape my notice that he was still covered in paint from earlier. But I didn't laugh about it.

I don't think that anyone wanted to anger the CMO anymore than he already was because there was not one single complaint or argument between that moment and the one where we arrived at our destination.

In a flash Ratchet was dousing me in some stinky chemical to eat away at the glue holding me to Sunstreaker, who whined that it was also eating away at his paint. I think Ratchet would have smacked him if it hadn't been for me being in the way.

The stuff worked fast but it kind of irritated my skin and made it itch. I didn't like it but it wasn't like I had any choice in the matter. Ratchet pried me off as soon as I came loose, surprisingly gentle too. He sat me on the berth closest and stuck me with another needle.

My vision immediately started spinning...before going dark.

* * *

The next time I woke up the first thing I took notice of was my HUD, which I could see again. The second thing that I took in was the fact that I was visible again. The third was that my leg was covered in a thick gauze. And the last was that there was quite a few bots in the room. Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Jazz, Ratchet, and three smaller more feminine looking bots who I had never met before. But they were staring at me curiously and chirping and whistling to each other. I stared at them. They started at me.

They must be the motorbikes I saw earlier...er motorcycles. Their colors certainly fit. Actually they seemed very pretty, slender, and graceful balancing on their single wheel ped. I cocked my head to the side and waved awkwardly.

The purple one slid forward slightly and cocked her helm at me. "You are a femme bot." It wasn't a question.

"Ummm I guess?" I murmured awkwardly. "I actually just found out! Funny thing huh?" Oh crap I was rambling again!

She smiled at me so gently that it surprised me and chirped at me. Something about the sound had me releasing a softer chirping sound in response. Her smile grew as she slid forward and reached out to hesitantly touch me. "You must still be quite young to respond to that sound."

Her voice was so soft and strong at the same time that it momentarily distracted me from what she had said. It took me a moment to say anything to her. "Umm I guess so." I trailed off not knowing what to say to her. Maybe my name would be a good place to start? "I'm Clare in case no one told you that."

"My designation is Arcee." She turned and hopped up onto the berth gracefully seeming to jump from prodding at me like I was the newest toy, to gesturing at the other two femmes who still hadn't moved. "The blue femme is Chromia."

The blue femme nodded at me. She actually looked kinda serious and threatening like Ironhide.

"And the other femme is Flareup. We are triplets."

"Really?" I jolted when she picked me up like a baby and held me in her arms like one even. The other femmes giggled, yes even Chromia and approached us.

"Yes I am the oldest sister. Chromia is the middle sister, and Flareup is the youngest."

When the other two started touching me and looking me over like a cute little puppy or something it made me feel kind of like how I felt when Jazz held me. Kind of like they were older sisters fussing over the little sister or something. Did they treat all femmes like this? "Umm am I really that unusual to look at?"

They didn't even falter in their touching or clicking and cooing. "Your armor is so soft and squishy. How can it possibly protect you during battle?" Chromia poked at my stomach and frowned. "We must get you suitable armor to wear."

"Umm that's just skin...not armor. I don't have any." Her touch kind of tickled. I had to bite my lip to keep from giggling.

All three of them looked at me in surprise before Chromia whirred in frustration. "No no that simply will not do. How are we to teach you how to defend yourself with armor like this? You need a new set."

Defend myself? My eyes drifted over to Jazz one of my eyebrows lifting up in silent question. When he only smiled nervously I figured that he was not going to answer me in any way. I turned back to the fawning femmes with a frown. "What are you talking about?"

All chattering stopped when Arcee turned back to me. "You must be taught how to protect yourself." She responded like I should have known that. "We are at war and all femmes will be targeted including you. When Optimus told us that you were only just out of your youngling frame and thus untrained we offered to oversee your training."

My jaw dropped. "Ummm but I don't even live on base."

Now it was their turn to have their jaws drop. I jumped when Chromia released a series of angry whirs and clicks directed at Ratchet. He returned her angry clicks with his own while the rest of us just sat there confused, or maybe I was the only one that was confused. When Chromia turned to me and I found myself on the receiving end of that anger I found myself wanting to shrink in on myself. "That is not acceptable! You are young and untrained!"

"Well yes I know that. But-"

She cut me off. "I am going to speak to Optimus and my sparkmate about this!" With that she was speeding out the door in an angry whirl of color leaving me to stare after her warily.

"Note to self: do not anger the blue chick." I muttered. Everyone present minus the femmes chuckled at me for my comment.

"No I would not advise it Clare. However she does have a point about you not being able to defend yourself." Ratchet wandered around to my side and plucked me out of Arcee's hold so that he could set me down and check my leg.

OMG! When he peeled the bandage off literally all my skin was gone! I released a startled yell in turn startling Ratchet who was looking me over. "WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO MY SKIN?! IT'S COMPLETELY GONE! THIS REMINDS ME OF THAT ONE SCENE FROM THE TERMINATOR WHERE ARNOLD LITERALLY TEARS THE SKIN ON HIS ARM OFF RIGHT IN FRONT OF THAT MILES TYSON GUY AND HE'S LIKE WTF?!"

Ratchet optics narrowed. "How did you expect me to repair the damage without removing it?"

"YOU RIPPED MY SKIN OFF?! SHIT RATCHET THIS ISN'T SAW!" Funnily enough I didn't feel pain from my obvious lack of skin...

"I have a saw." He trailed off confused and irritated. Oh my god there were cables and stuff like moving and shit! AND HE WAS LOOKING AT THEM LIKE THAT WAS NORMAL...WELL MAYBE TO THEM IT WAS! BUT TO ME IT LOOKED LIKE I HAD WORMS LIVING UNDER MY SKIN!

"That's not what I...I know that! It's a movie series with this fucked up guy that like makes his victims mutilate themselves to escape from his game! It's totally messed up! I was just saying that my leg looks like something from one of those movies!" Ewwww things were moving like worms! I could even see blue stuff pumping through the tubes and cables and shit... I poked one curiously making its wiggling even more pronounced. "Oh my god it's...like a giant worm."

Something collided with the top of my head making me yelp. "It is not a worm femme. It's an energon artery cable."

Had he just hit me with a wrench?! I looked up at the wrench in his servo incredulously. "Did you just hit me with that?!" I heard snickers from over in the direction of the other mechs probably from Sides and Sunstreaker.

"Yes I did." He sat his wrench down beside me and rewrapped my leg in some fresh gauze. "Well femme it seems that you will have to stay on base for at least a few more days thanks to your immature prank war. Your relays were almost crushed along with most of the joints. But that's what happens when a twenty foot tall mech rolls on a minibots leg." He slanted a look at Sunstreaker who actually managed to look sheepish.

"The prank war was sooo not my idea!" I protested with a pout. No! Now I was stranded on the base for even longer! I was going to fall even further behind in school! Aunt Judy might even extend my sentence! But it wasn't like I could do much chores with a bum leg. "And it was an accident Ratchet! Sunstreaker didn't mean to roll over onto my leg."

"Be that as it may Clare, if they had been acting responsibly your leg would not have been crushed."

I glared at him reaching for his wrench while he was distracted. Once I had it in my hands I waited until he finished tying my knot and went to lean up then... **BAM!** I brought it down on top of his helm hard enough to leave a good sized dent. He stumbled back in surprise and clutched at his dent with wide furious looking optics. "Payback for hitting me with it." I stuck my tongue out at him.

We stared at each other while everyone else just stared in shocked amusement, me thinking that maybe smacking him was not such a good idea when an absolutely furious expression morphed his facial features. Then in a split second he rushed me and grabbed at his wrench. I squeaked and held to it wrapping both arms and my one good leg around it as he tried to shake me off. "AHHHH HE'S GOING APE! SAVE THE LITTLE PEOPLE FIRST!"

He tried to grab at me but with surprising speed I scurried down his arm and over his shoulder. "FEMME!" It was all but an angry roar as he grabbed for me again when I scrambled down his back plates like a freaking monkey.

"Do unto others Ratchet!" I slid down onto the floor and hobbled over to hide behind Sideswipe who was closest to me. Said bot scooped me up carefully grinning like mad. Probably because I had wrenched Ratchet thus giving him a taste of his own medicine.

"Don't do anything hasty Ratchet." Sideswipe made sure to cover me as much as he could with his servos. "She's hurt. If you hit her you'll only make it worse."

Ratchet hardly seemed to look away from me long enough to acknowledge Sides. He was practically filling the room with hot air from his vents. "All of you get out of my med bay!" He suddenly roared and launched a wrench at Sideswipe.

I squeaked in surprise when Sides dodged by tucking tail and running out of the room. The hallway passed by in an incomprehensible blur until it all came to a stop when we made it to a room in the living quarters. He quickly slid inside but left the door open. It only took me a moment to realize that he had done that because his twin was right behind us. The door slid shut once all three of us were in the room.

It was quiet...and then both of them exploded with laughter. "You-you hit Ratchet with his own wrench!" Sideswipe howled. He fell onto a large metal couch laughing hysterically. Sunstreaker carefully sat down on the other side shaking his helm at his twin.

"No one has ever done that before?" I sat up as best I could with my leg so stiff and throbbing.

"No! Nobot has ever dared to try and turn Ratchet's wrench on him!" Sideswipe sat up maneuvering me so that I was sitting on his lap with proper support for my leg. His optics shined brightly as he peered down at me.

"Well he deserved it." I defended myself. In my opinion he did deserve it at least.

Sides' grin only widened even more. "He did. Still it was one of the funniest things I have ever seen."

"Agreed." Sunstreaker nodded.

I shrugged my shoulders carelessly. "Well like I said he deserved it."

My mind wandered back to what Chromia had said earlier about training and stuff. I wasn't sure that I had what it takes to be a soldier of any kind if I was being honest with myself. What if she insisted on it and I got forced into it? I couldn't see myself shooting anyone or harming them for no reason or even to defend myself. Hitting Sam was one thing since it was all in good fun or to admonish him for being stupid, it was another thing entirely to fight against others who could actually fight. Not only that but who had thousands of years of fighting experience. How did a sixteen year old girl...er femme even stand any sort of chance? It made me nervous to think about.

"Hey Sides?"

His optics had never once strayed from me while I sat here mulling things over in my own head. "Yeah Clare? Is something bothering you?"

I was honestly embarrassed about voicing any insecurities in front of them because they were so strong and skilled...and me? I was just a femme that had been abandoned. Who didn't know the first thing about fighting in a war. "Umm..." I chickened out last second and spat the first thing I could think of. "Where did Jazz go?"

He shuttered his optics in a blink obviously not expecting that question. "Blocked the bond?" He questioned.

Not really... I just didn't want to admit to being scared of training and fighting, at the same time I also didn't want to lie to Sides. "I didn't check...I just wondered why he didn't come too." That was at least kind of true.

"I think he needed to talk to Optimus about something. It shouldn't take long though Clare it's pretty late after all."

"Oh." A quick check of the little clock on my HUD told me that it was actually after ten o'clock. So yeah it was pretty late.

I turned forward on his lap so that I was able to look around the room. There was a small table in front of the metal couch thing which now that I looked at it was actually pretty crude looking. It was obvious that it was a quick put together by either the humans or bots, the same could be said for the table. Other than that there was two berths in the corner near the far wall. All in all the room was pretty empty.

It was while I was looking around that I noticed Sunstreaker staring at me. I raised a brow at him in silent question.

He frowned at me. "You're worried about what Chromia said earlier."

My chest felt like someone had shoved an end of a metal stick into it then shoved the other end into a light socket electrocuting me. That's how nervous and uneasy him being able to tell what I was thinking and feeling made me feel. "N-no." I stuttered.

"There's nothing wrong with feeling that way." He went on to say right over my weak protest. "You're young and everything you thought you knew has changed. You can't live in the peace you existed in before and you know this."

I deflated instantly feeling like a total idiot. "Yes I know...Sunnysideup."

"Don't call me that." He growled as Sides snickered at him. "And this is serious Clare. You need the training that Chromia is insisting on. You don't have to be frontline or anything like that, in fact you're not built for it. But you need self defense training and maybe some weapons training to utilize. That way if it comes down to it you at least have some skill to rely on of your own."

"Gee thanks for the awesome words of encouragement Sunnyboy." I mumbled dejectedly. The way he said that kind of made me feel like some kind of failure or something. I didn't know how to fight or shoot or anything that would make me anything but a hindrance to anyone around me. "So I'm going to have to learn?"

"Yes. I'd bet on Optimus agreeing with Chromia. On weekends when you're here I'd expect them to take you for at least a few groons a solar cycle for weapons training and servo to servo training. For that you'll most likely be with the triplets seeing as how they are more your size. They'll work with you at a pace that you can handle so don't worry too much. You'll either be good at it right away, or you'll be talentless and have to work really hard to even be passable."

With each word I found myself feeling more and more hopeless. Getting down on myself wasn't really something that I did...but there were things that existed outside of my comfort zone, those things being sex and physical violence. Maybe if I wasn't going to be trained to fight giant alien robotic beings who were thousands and thousands of years old it would be different. I was ok with fighting people when I had to, giant alien robots were another thing altogether. "But I don't even know anything about weapons or fighting." I trailed off dejectedly.

"That's ok Clare!" Sideswipe gave me an encouraging squeeze on the shoulder. "It works a little bit differently than how humans learn to fight. What will happen first is Ratchet will do another processor upgrade where he will install combat data packets, and data packs on weapons and the proper way to utilize them. Then once they have settled you can sort through the data and learn different moves and fighting techniques from what he downloaded to your processor. The hard part is learning when to use certain maneuvers and techniques in the field. That is what Chromia and the other femmes will spend the most time teaching you! It's all about learning to implement what you know and when. The rest comes with experience."

"I doubt it's that easy." I tried to smile but I'm sure that it came out as more of a grimace. So I had to go through another processor upgrade before I could even start learning. Something told me that Chromia would be a strict and serious teacher too.

"I'll help you when I can." Sides offered. "Anytime you need advise you can come and ask me."

My smile turned into a more genuine one. "Thanks Sides."

Maybe just maybe I would be ok. I hoped so at least.

Sides seemed to be encouraging and I was sure that Jazz would help me when he could.

Yes maybe things would be alright. They had to be...

I hoped they would be.

* * *

R&amp;R! I hope you guys liked the prank war and everything! So the Arcee triplets are in the story now as well! I know that in the movie it was Elita-1 and not Flareup but I really wanted to change it so that Flareup was the third sister. So there! Now for some reviews!

**1234Devyn**\- Lol! Yeah she's amazingly funny! And yes I will keep writing!

**cmfanreidsgirl**\- Lol definitely will have her use it to prank Skids and Mudflap after I bring them in!

**DinahDeath**\- I will thanks!

**HearstGuardianSol**\- So she kinda got her just desserts lol. And nope no plane for a few chapters! XD

**SoulGlitch**\- I love those ending words lol. What's the worst that could happen XD! Well I guess we know how bad they can get!

**himelove22**\- Lol well it wasn't her painting Sunny all sorts of different colors but I hope that Sides getting painted pink with my little ponies on him was good enough XD. And I am thinking about what other mods I want to have Clare use later. I was thinking the magnetic manipulation like Jazz. Can you imagine all the trouble she would cause with that?!

**Muirgen79**\- Thanks!

**Izzy-dragon-rider**\- Nope no relation to Mirage. In my mind more than one bot can have certain abilities. Clare just was born with the electromagnetic disruptor only she just never knew about it. And yes everyone should run for their lives XD!


	10. Chapter 10

Sunstreaker is still winning the vote guys! For any of you that want Sideswipe to pursure Clare first you better vote before I close the poll down! Also I was thinking of giving Clare an electromagetic manipulation mod like Jazz later on. Who wants to see what kind of trouble she can get in using that? Lol Anyways on with the story!

* * *

I woke up the next morning safe and warm in my bed in Jazz's room. After my little discussion with Sideswipe and Sunstreaker he had come to get me to put me to bed. It was kind of strange being pretty much an adult and having Jazz practically tuck me in for bed. But I really did like it at the same time. And I slept great!

If only waking up was as good as falling asleep I mused when I registered the throbbing in my leg. Now I felt the pain. You know after I had hit and angered Ratchet even more than the prank we had pulled on him had. I sighed and tried to sit up in bed leg protesting the movement my body was making. A soft groan of discomfort escaped me. The next thing I knew my opiluck was in front of me peering at me worriedly.

**[Ya a'right sweetlin'? We shoul' probably go get some'hing from Ratchet for the pain.]** He offered me his arms to climb into.

I didn't hesitate to climb into them either. It wasn't exactly like I could walk properly with my leg mutilated and having just been repaired from being crushed.** [Next time Sides gets sticky paint involved in a prank I think I'll stay far away.]** I stated dryly.

A deep chuckle vibrated his frame. **[Maybay ya shoul' follow t'rough wit' dat. Sides is a lovable mech, cheery and outgoin. But 'e can also be a bit overzealous to da poin' dat o'hers can get 'urt if 'e ain' careful. But ah also kno' dat 'e woul neva 'urt ya on purpose.]**

**[I know.]** Sides was too sweet to ever try and purposefully hurt me. I think that was why I was starting to crush on him a bit when I didn't even know him for that long. That last thought was one that I kept hidden from Jazz, thanks to the lessons that Sides had given me last night in blocking certain thoughts. He told me it was as easy as putting up a mental wall around things that you didn't want heard. I wasn't sure if it would work, but when Jazz gave no outward reaction internally or externally I figured that it had.

And at that moment we arrived at the dreaded med bay, AKA the place where I was soon going to be banned from unless I was dying. We stepped inside taking in Ratchet's form banging on something on one of his counters. That didn't seem like a good way to fix things to me... "Hi Ratchet!" I called obnoxiously.

He whipped around in my direction with a deep scowl. "What are you doing back here femme? You're not to come in here unless you're dead or dying!"

Ouch! So I really had angered him with the whole wrench thing. Whoopsie! "But Ratchet! My leg really hurts!" I whined. Jazz chuckled at me gently running a digit over the top of my head.

Ratchet however did not look so amused. "Fraggin pit spawned femme!" He growled as he stalked over to a cabinet and tore it open to sort through various vials and bottles. After a moment he finally settled on one and pulled it out along with a needle.

Ohh not another needle! I whined when he filled the syringe with a good amount of the strange purple liquid and approached me. Then the aft shoves the needle into my arm without even giving me time to prepare myself. "HEY!" I yelped trying to yank myself away from him only to be held there by his firm hold.

"Sit still femme! You need something for the pain and this will numb it!"

Somebody was in a bad mood! I resisted the urge to pout under the torture he was giving me until he finished pumping the stuff into me. As soon as he pulled away I actually did pout. "Mean Ratchet."

He only growled in irritation. "Get out of my med bay!"

"A'right Ratch! See ya latta!" Jazz called as we turned and walked out into the hall. He started in a random direction keeping a decent pace. "So ah 'eard 'bout wha' Chromia said ta ya an' Optimus." He started quietly.

I stiffened anxiously. "Yeah? Small world huh?" I gave a nervous laugh when inside I was nearly dying from anxiety. It wasn't that I was a coward...I just... Well I didn't really know what was wrong with me. All I knew was that the thought of both learning to fight and being forced to implement it to protect myself from bots that only wanted to kill me because I'm a femme made me anxious.

"Ah can sense yo'r nervousness sweetlin'. Dere ain' nothin wrong wit' bein scared ta fight some'imes. Even Optimus an' ole Hide feel dat way at times. Jus' ask em. An' ah feel scared some'imes in battle, ah ain' scared ta admit it eitha. I's normal."

I leaned into Jazz relishing in the feelings of comfort flowing between us. Until I got things going I was going to be scared that was all there was to it. And the first time that I actually fought was going to be nervewracking as well. But I had to do it even if it did frighten me. Sunny and Sides had said that I would learn, that it was normal to feel nervous at first. They were most definitely right about those things. Besides, I didn't really have much of a choice in the matter.

The cons would not pull back from killing me just because I was young and untrained. If anything it would make them more willing to try and kill me seeing as how I was purely defenseless. So I had to do this not only so that I wasn't such a burden to Jazz and the others, but for myself.

And on the bright side my leg was still trashed so it wasn't like I could do much anyways. So yay! I lucked out until it was all better! At least I hoped so.

"Well since yo'r leg is badly damaged ole Hide t'ought we coul' get'cha started on weapons first. So ah'm gonna take ya down ta da shooting range an' leave ya wit' him, Arcee, an' Chromia."

And there went my good mood in a fiery shower of acid rain falling from the sky and eating me alive. I slumped as we headed into the firing range where I could hear the loud sounds of what sounded like big cannons going off. Ironhide was going to eat me alive! Maybe I could make a break for it when he wasn't looking!

"No' ah told em dat ya had no shootin experience so today shoul' be more about teachin ya 'ow ta safely handle yo'r guns, den afta dat dey migh' have ya shoot a lil bit. It shoul' be easy enough."

We stepped into a huge room that looked just like a typical firing range with guns lining the wall on racks, windows where the shooter would stand, and moving and unmoving targets down the field in varying distances.

I was sat down next to Ironhide before I had even finished taking in the room. As soon as I saw this I scurried over to where Arcee was standing. Hadn't they said that I would need updates before all of this? Well I guess they wouldn't be that advanced of a species if they couldn't learn without being updated. Maybe those would come after Ratchet wasn't tempted to kill me?

"Well Hide ah'm trustin ya no' ta do any'hing stupid wit' mah sparklin. By dat ah mean she betta be in da same shape when ah get back as she is no'." There was a distinctly threatening tone accompanied by the almost stoic expression on my adoptive creator's face that strangely made him look even more frightening.

It might have just been my imagination but I'm pretty sure that Ironhide shivered... "What do you think we're going to do with her when her leg is still repairing itself? Intense servo to servo combat training? Her leg would go out before we even got started." Ironhide snorted turning away from Jazz in dismissal. "Go and do your patrol with Flareup already. Clare will be just fine when you get back."

It took another moment before Jazz nodded and left after shooting me one more reassuring smile. That left me to Ironhide's mercy...

"Ok Clare the first thing to know is that your weapon is your best friend in a battle, if you know what you're doing it can always be counted on to save your aft. If you don't know what you're doing you might as well not even bother picking one up. It'll normally end up doing more damage to you than anybot else. So what we're going to do today is get you acquainted with some easier to use weapons, as well as going over gun safety." Ironhide informed me.

I nodded paying close attention to what he said.

He walked over to the wall and pulled down a small silver gun that looked to be about twice as large as a handgun. "This is an acid pellet gun. It fires acid pellets in case the name wasn't enough to give you that information."

I scowled at him as he walked over and handed it to me. I was hesitant to take it but he was rather forceful in making me even if I didn't want to. It was surprisingly heavy more so than I was expecting and it seemed to fit into my hands well.

"Ok now there are rules you must follow when handling a weapon. Rule one: Never ever point your own gun at yourself. Can you tell me why?"

"Because you could shoot yourself...and it's just plain stupid to do that with a real gun." I left out the part where I had actually shot myself repeatedly with an automatic airsoft gun when I was a little kid... Yeah somehow I was sure that it would make Ironhide even more tough on me.

"Right. Rule number two: Never point a gun at an enemy if an ally is in the way. Rule number three: When maneuvering keep the muzzle of your weapon down and close to the ground at all times. You can avoid any accidental shootings by ensuring that your weapon is never pointed at anyone when you don't mean to. Rule four: Always remember to perform proper maitinence on your weapons. If you want your gun to be reliable you have to take good care of it like you would take care of a living being. If not they will not not always function properly when you need them to and that can cause accidents in the field."

I slid down into a sitting position placing my new acid pellet gun onto the floor next to me. My leg was hurting already just from standing on my own for a few moments so I thought that if I was going to be forced to stand and shoot maybe it would be better to take pressure off of it for a while.

"Rule Five: Always be aware of your surroundings when handling a weapon. This rule ties into rules two and three for obvious reasons. I cannot stress gun safety enough Clare. You can and will cause accidental deaths by not following these rules. If you are ever reformatted to have weapons on your frame you can activate them and deactivate them at will to prevent accidents, but since you are going to have to carry an actual weapon for now it is imperative that you follow these rules. Understand?" He looked at me very seriously.

Like he had to ask me that! I definitely didn't want to go around accidentally shooting people or bots when I didn't mean to! "Yes. Make sure to follow safety rules."

He and Chromia nodded at me in approval. "That's right Clare. Even a weak gun is a lethal weapon in experienced and sometimes inexperieced servos."

"So is this a lethal weapon to you guys?" I held up the acid pellet gun giving it a curious glance. "It's so small! And wouldn't acid not really hurt you all that much? It would just eat away at paint and certain cables and stuff right?"

"Right. It's the least dangerous weapon we had to start you out with." Ironhide knelt down in front of me. "That being said Clare if you were to aim at important wires or cables in the cracks in a bot's armor this could still eat away at main energon lines and arteries, thus it still has the capability to be a lethal weapon."

"Ok so for this weapon where you aim is especially important if you want to do damage?"

"Aim is important for any weapon if you want it to be effective, but yes aim is especially important for weapons like this that are not designed to do massive outright damage. So for this gun you would aim for breaks in the armor near the throat if you were going for a main energon line to inflict a killing blow. However this weaon is more designed for self defense purposes to repel an attacker. Acid pellets cause intense pain and can eat away into the protoform even which is even more sensitive than any other area. So this gun is designed solely for self defense, you would not want to take it into an actual battle as your main weapon." Ironhide gestured for Chromia to come over and take the acid gun from me. "First we'll show you the safety clip, then we will show you where to load the acid pellets."

"Ok." I sat there watching as Chromia used her smaller servos to flip the gun over and point at a small switch near the butt of the gun.

"This is the safety red means that it is armed and ready to be fired, green means that the safety is engaged. So as you can see the safety is on but all you have to do is flip the switch to deactivate it." With a quick flick of her wrist the gun was set to be fired. Then she quickly spun it around making sure to keep the muzzle pointed down and away from me as she maneuvered it so that the rounded part just behind the muzzle was in plain view. "This is the ammo chamber. To reload this gun all you need to do is apply a small pressure here..." She pushed a digit down onto a small circular shape located neaer the rim and the gun seemed to snap apart, at least the circular chamber slid out. Chromia grabbed it and pulled it free so that I could see it.

There were chambers filled with multiple green glowing acid pellets.

"To reload you simply snap the used chamber out," She held it up for me to show me this step. "then you snap a new acid pellet clip in. They come in clips like a human weapon."

I cocked my head to the side when she held up another circular chamber from somewhere. So their weapons actually did sometimes work like human weapons. Cool.

"Push the little circular plate to arm it and you're good to go." She handed it back to me carefully gesturing for me to stand. "Come so that we may show you the proper way to fire a gun."

My leg screamed in protest when I went to heft myself up and I would not have been able to stand had Arcee not grabbed me to help me. I stood with her help keeping my gun pointed at the floor like Ironhide had told me which got a nod of approval from him. Then I was helped over to a window where a metal target dummy was placed a good fifteen feet away.

"Now Clare aiming for us works differently than when humans aim. We have an auto lock on function to help guide us. You have not had that update yet so you will have to aim as a human for now." Chromia gripped my shoulders surprisingly gentle and maneuvered me into a shooters stance like one I had seen many times in movies and video games. "Now you bring your gun level with your shoulder and peer down the sight."

I followed her instructions and leveled with weapon with my shoulder so that I could peer down the sight. It was kind of like an iron sight on a human weapon only this one was more like an actual holographic sight. There was a small red symbol that I did not recognize shining like a hologram in the center of the sight. Kinda cool since it didn't have one of those bigger sights on it.

"Now line up your target, breathe deep, exhale then shoot."

Shifting slightly I lined up my target retinal on the neck, took a big breath as I steadied myself...then exhaled and pulled the trigger. There was a burst of green that flew from the muzzle accompanied by a slightly jarring motion from the actual weapon firing, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

I was more focused on the pellets as they hit the target just where I had aimed them with several loud splats. Steam rose up as they quickly corroded the metal away. Yes I actually didn't screw it up! If it weren't for my leg I would do a happy dance.

"Good job Clare." Arcee praised me.

"Thanks but my leg is really starting to hurt. Can I sit down?" Until now I had been so focused that I didn't realize how weak it was starting to feel.

"No. We'll keep practicing for another hour." Ironhide informed me gruffly.

I scowled at him! It was sooo going to be his fault if I accidentally shot his ped or something!

* * *

Later that day I hobbled down the hallway on a pair of crutches that Ratchet had gotten for me. I had just called Uncle Ron to tell him that I would have to stay on base due to some unexpected circumstances, AKA I got hurt again. I promised to make up for the chores when I got back home. He agreed and wished me well until he next saw me.

My mind drifted back to my "training" earlier... Yeah best not to ever speak about the events that transpired afterward while Ironhide was around. Nope definitely not a good idea! I just hoped that he got out of the med bay with only minor damage.

"Clare!"

I whipped around in time to see Sideswipe come barreling up to me with Sunstreaker trailing behind him. "Hi Sides. Hi Sunn-nnnstreaker." I quickly corrected myself before I angered him in record time.

Sides snickered at me. "So I heard that you spent some time in the shooting range today! How'd it go?" He picked me up and carried me into the rec room before sitting down at a table.

I blushed horribly. "Well it went good...until my leg gave out from standing on it for too long. I kind of fell on my face and shot Ironhide in the ped with an entire clip of acid pellets. So not really good. But in my defense I did tell him that my leg was really hurting. He just chose not to listen and that's why his ped was eaten away by acid." I shrugged...actually feeling kind of bad about it but I had told him.

Both of their jaws dropped. Sides spluttered out a laugh. "You accidentally shot him in the ped with acid pellets?"

"Yes. I kinda feel bad. His entire ped was eaten away..." I slumped on the tabletop that I was sitting on dejectedly. Maybe weapons weren't for me? At least if I didn't have one I couldn't accidentally shoot anyone.

They busted out laughing like it was the funniest thing that they had ever heard! Even Sunstreaker! Well I was so not laughing! "Tha-that's the funniest thing I have ever heard!" Sides howled.

I sighed and waited for them to finish with their hysterics. "It wasn't really all that funny. I shot him."

They snickered. "We know."

I scowled at them and stood with a huff. Not that I could really go anywhere with my leg in the state it was in. It wasn't like I could jump off of the table without further damaging myself. Still I was irritated and frustrated and...just every negative emotion I could possibly feel in this situation. I hobbled away from them anger bubbling up inside of me.

"Clare where are you going?"

I didn't answer Sides as I carefully lowered myself down onto a chair then onto the floor. Once I was settled I crutched myself out of the room as fast as I could.

"Clare come back!" Sides called, I could hear him following after me. But I didn't turn back to look at him.

The visual of Ironhide being pelted with acid pellets because of me...of him roaring in pain and clutching at his ped. He had looked positively murderous! Then again I had shot him! I'd be surprised if him or Chromia ever offered to train me again!

A firm grip on my upper arm stopped me in my tracks. "Clare we didn't mean to upset you."

I sighed turning to face Sideswipe's sheepish facade. "I know Sides. I was just frustrated with myself because of what happened." My leg hurt so I hobbled over to a pile of boxes sitting in the corner of the hangar and plopped down on it. "It's just...they spent so much time today drilling me on gun safety and then I go and trip and shoot him! You should've seen it! It was so embarrassing! They'll probably never let me even look at a gun again!"

My head fell into my hands dejectedly as I sighed in defeat. Maybe it was just better if I didn't touch another gun? But then what could I fight with? If I couldn't even safely hold a gun then what was the point?

A gentle caress on my back made me look up at Sunstreaker of all mechs. Sides was standing behind him looking totally lost, but Sunstreaker was actually here making an attempt to comfort me. "Everybot makes mistakes femme it's called life. Get used to it and keep on trying. Only a weakling would let it get them down for good."

Honestly his encouragement made me feel better until he got to the weakling bit. Then I scowled and jumped up as best I could to point an accusing finger at him. "You'll call me a weakling when I beat your face in with a baseball bat!"

He raised an optic ridge at me. "I'd like to see you try it."

"Ohh do not test me Mister I'msobeautiful!" I mocked him, my earlier morose emotions temporarily forgotten. Call me crazy but I think I was quite enjoying the banter the two of us got into! If he wasn't such an ass...well I had to admit that the asshole personality could be very hot. As soon as that thought crossed my mind I blushed such a bright purple that it almost seemed to shine through my skin.

Both of them cocked their helms at me. "Clare your internal temperature just increased considerably. Should we take you to Ratchet?" Sides questioned.

"No! That's ok! I was just thinking about something that's all!" The words left my mouth in a rush. Oh my god what was I even thinking these days?! It was one thing to kind of crush on Sideswipe cause he was so sweet and nice...but Sunstreaker?! He hated me! Why did I insist on doing pointless things like crushing on giant robotic aliens with vanity complexes from hell?

"Are you sure Clare? Your cooling system might have malfunctioned as well. If that's the case Ratchet needs to fix it."

Better question did I even have a cooling system when I had freaking skin?! I must have said that out loud without realizing it because it earned me an amused chuckle from Sideswipe.

"Yes you have one. Hot air is expelled through the ports in your skin via a cooling system similar to our own, only your fans expel it through both microscopic vents located all over your protoform and your skin ports. If you were to actually get rid of your skin you'd see what I'm talking about."

I shook his explanation off, though I must admit that it did sound kind of cool. "Well I'm ok. No need to worry! I'm just being my normal spacey hyperactive self." Honestly I would have struck a pose at the end of that if I hadn't been standing on crutches. It kinda sucked that I couldn't cause striking poses could be really fun.

Neither one looked convinced. "Well if you say so." Sides trailed off.

"I do say so!" I chirped. "Now let's go find something to do!"

It was obvious that I didn't need to tell Sides twice because in an astrosecond he had shifted down to alt mode and opened his door for me. I stared at the small front seat dubiously, looking down at my crutches. "Umm Sides I don't think I can get in with my leg unless you move the seat back."

"Good point." He moved the passenger seat back a good foot or two so that I would have room to sit comfortably and keep my leg extended. "There that ought to do it."

I ducked down into the seat with some difficulty thanks to my bandaged leg only to curse when I dropped my crutches halfway in. "Freaking hell." Before I could get out to retrieve them Sunstreaker's holoform was there grabbing them for me. "Thanks."

He only nodded before disappearing back into his alt mode.

Sides shut the door and buckled me in before pulling out of the hangar. "We won't go far maybe just to the beach again. Optimus wants all the bots not on patrol to stay close for now unless ordered otherwise."

"M'kay."

The scenery flew by in a blur of lush green and pale yellow from the trees and sand on the island. It really was a nice place to be as far as I was concerned. Well I guess I better get used to it since I was stuck here for most of the week while my nanites repaired my skin. Luckily for me Lennox agreed to gather my work for the week since he had to go back to the mainland to take care of some things with his family, so he agreed to stop by my house to get the work that Sam was going to pick up from my classes for me. At least I didn't have to worry about that.

We pulled up to the plateau overlooking the beach finally. Sides let me out and transformed somehow ending up sitting down before the sequence had even finished.

Sunstreaker transformed and sat down next to his brother. I looked between the two before I hopped onto Sunstreaker's leg. It would probably annoy him, but I was actually strangely comfortable. It wasn't like he could toss me into the water again or anything. In fact he didn't even react to my bold move.

Sides however was staring at me. I shrugged. "He's comfy to sit on. Besides this is probably going to be the only time that it's safe for me to just hop on his leg like this."

"Sunny wouldn't hurt you for real. But I do think that you picked a good time to not be cautious."

We both looked at Sunstreaker, or up in my case. He growled. "Do not call me that. And I may be an aft but I wouldn't harm an injured femme."

"See Sides? He does like me!" I grinned wickedly when Sunstreaker looked down at me like he had been slapped. "What? You can't tell me that you don't like me at least a little bit! Especially after we painted Sides pink with my little ponies on him. We're prank buddies now."

He looked like he wanted to grimace and smile at the same time. Sides pouted at me. "That was so not cool Clare. It was a good prank, but it took me hours to repaint myself over all of the different colored ponies. And to think all I was going to do was cover you in sticky paint and force you into that strange human armor."

My smile fell as I shuddered in horror. "It was a bikini! I am not wearing a bikini Sideswipe! All my bits would be showing!"

"Ah ah ah! If I took your cloth armoring off first! But I never technically said that I was going to do that..."

At his devious look I reached out and smacked his leg. "Oh no! You only said that you wanted to see my protoform in it! That amounts to me getting naked!"

He didn't even have the decency to look ashamed. "So? You act like you've never been seen in your protoform before."

Embarrassment hit me hard, and like the idiot I am I said the first thing that came to mind however dumb it waws. And it was pretty freaking dumb. "I HAVEN'T! I'M A FREAKING VIRGIN YOU IDIOT!" As soon as the words were out of my mouth I cupped my face and wailed forlornly. "Why?!"

Sides cocked his helm at me curiously his optics dimming slightly. "But I read on the internet that most earth femmes your age have interfaced already. Your age is considered more than acceptable. Are you really saying that you still have your seal?"

OMG WAS HE REALLY ASKING ME THAT?! SERIOUSLY?! "YES! THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M SAYING! I'VE NEVER GOTTEN LAID! JEEZ YOU'RE SO EMBARRASSING!" By this point I was doing everything in my power to avoid looking at either of them. Besides the ocean was far more interesting than paying attention to either of them when I literally just said the most embarrassing thing ever!

"No wonder you're so...shy."

The sudden voice in my ear made me jump. My hand lashed out reflexively smacking him in the cheek hard. "SIDES YOU'RE SCARED THE SHIT OUT OF ME! And I'm not shy about most things...only that." I added quietly.

His bright optics watched me with more interest than I knew how to handle. "That's pretty hot Clare."

"Sides stop being a pervert!" Sunstreaker smacked him in the helm.

"Yeah stop perving on me for one day jeez!" I was completely flustered at this point. Something about having him say things like that to me made my virgin mind want to short out. I mean he always called me pretty or cute and now he was saying that me being a virgin was hot. How was I even supposed to react to that?

"You're not used to somebot flirting with you are you?"

"Not really. Well just some boys at school but they're idiots." I brought my right hand up to play with my hair like I always did when I was nervous. "And well they look so stupid when they're doing it that normally I just laugh."

"Ouch sparkbreaker." Sides laughed.

"No I'm just not interested in them. There are so many other things that I'd rather use my time for than getting involved in high school drama. I don't like any of them. I don't want the drama that comes with dating immature teenage boys. And well at this point I really would rather not stir up the rumor pool anymore than it already is after the Trent incident. Now everyone at school is spreading rumors that we were having sex in his hummer and my other boyfriends caught us and tried to beat the shit out of him."

"Other boyfriends? Is that what they think Bee and I are?"

"Yes." I deadpanned. A sigh escaped me as I turned to Sides more fully. "Like I said the kids at school are immature, they have to always make up insane stories everytime something big happens. Unfortunately for me I happen to have been labelled the slut with three boyfriends, one of whom I was fucking in the school parking lot this time." I rolled my eyes. "How stupid. As if I would ever screw Trent even if we were the last living things on this planet."

Sides grinned like mad. "Ouch poor mech! He does seem like an aft though."

"He is." I held out my arms to Sides in an up motion and was rewarded when he quickly scooped me up to deposit me on his lap so that my back was against his stomach. "It's days like those that I wish I was ugly or something. That way I would never have to worry about him ever again. Or any boy for that matter."

"I must say that this is the first time I have ever heard a femme say she wants to be ugly." Sunstreaker mused with an oddly concentrated look on his face. "You get more and more strange everytime I talk to you."

"Hey at least I'm an individual and not a complete freaking tool! Just because I don't want to be so gorgeous that boys trail after me like little lost puppies does not mean that I'm weird!" ..."Well not really." I trailed off embarrassedly. In a way it did kind of make me weird I guess to not want to be the pretty popular girl. But I'd rather be myself than be the kind of girl that does whatever it takes to fit in.

"You can be both!" Sides ever the helpful bot offered. "You're already different from most femmes and you're good looking."

My cheeks quickly heated in another blush. Both of them sensed it and turned their complete attention on me making me want to turn and take off hobbling as fast as my three limbed self could.

But before anyone could say a word I felt something crawling on my leg. I looked down quickly and saw...a giant freaking tarantula! My mouth fell open in a loud shriek as I turned and smacked the thing off of my leg causing it to land on the ground near Sides leg, only the fucker scurried back up on him at lightning speed. "SIDES IT'S A FREAKING TARANTULA! GET IT AWAY GETITAWAYGETITAWAYGETITAWAY!" I shrieked like a maniac and climbed up him as fast as I could while the little fucking tarantula followed me. WHY WASN'T SIDES GETTING IT?!

"It's just a spider." Sunstreaker somehow managed to be heard over my screaming. But he was looking at the thing in disgust as well.

"OH MY GOD IT'S BREAKING THE APPENDAGE RULE! SIDES GET IT AWAY FROM ME! I'LL DO ANYTHING YOU ASK IF YOU JUST FLICK IT OR SOMETHING! I'LL EVEN WEAR A BIKINI!"

"You will? You'll wear one later if I get rid of the spider for you?" Sides asked with a wicked grin.

"YES JUST GET IT AWAY FROM ME!"

Just as I made it up to his shoulder Sides reached down and grabbed the tarantula up so gently that the thing didn't even get squished, which pissed me off. Then he moved his arm away and put the fucking thing on a tree. Once that was done he turned back to me with the same wicked grin in place. "So now you have to wear a bikini for me."

I winced wanting to beat myself in the face. "When my leg is finished healing?" I asked hopefully.

"Sure. But remember this Clare...a mech never forgets a promise like this." If possible the grin on his face grew until he looked like the cat from Alice in Wonderland! He faltered slightly though after a moment looking confused. "What's the appendage rule?"

I wanted to facepalm onto the ground and have it swallow me up in its depths. "Well the appendage rule is the rule that I made up that states that no living being with more than four limbs comes anywhere near me. If it does it is subject to being squished with the nearest shoe I can find. Preferably Sam's shoe not mine."

Sides chuckled at me. "Why are you so frightened of spiders just because they have eight legs?"

I exploded. "Because it's freaking weird man! I don't know why but everyone has their things that they fear and mine are creey crawly bugs with too many legs and heights! And you can't even say that phobias are stupid because Sunstreaker has a phobia of getting dirty or scratched and I'm sure that is an actual known phobia."

Sunstreaker scowled at me. "I do not have a phobia femme, I merely like to look good."

I frowned at him. "Fine then you have a complex! Same thing in a roundabout way!"

While we were arguing Sides had taken to singing. "Clare and Sunny sitting in a tree F-R-A-G-G-I-N-G! First comes love then comes bonding then comes a sparkling in a mini tank!"

Both of us whipped around in his direction with intense glares. "Sides that is so not funny!"

Sunstreaker smacked him upside the helm again. "Cut that out slagger!"

"K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Sides spelled out obnoxiously.

"You're such a weirdo! As if Sunstreaker would ever kiss me or frag me!" I looked to said bot. "No offense but you hate me."

He gave me a weird look.

Sides kept singing. "Clare and Sunny sitting in a tree F-R-A-G-G-I-N-G!" He was cut off when Sunstreaker reached out and smacked him across the face. The motion nearly caused me to fall but luckily Sides was quicker and caught me. "Careful Sunny or you might hurt your femmefriend!"

"She is not my femmefriend!" Sunstreaker growled looking highly irritated.

"Kiss her!" Sides encouraged. Was he even listening to either of us?

"No I'm not going to kiss her! I barely even know her."

"Wuss."

"Sideswipe shut up!" I protested hotly. Was he trying to get Sunstreaker and I to hate each other? And no way was I going to give my first kiss to a mech that didn't even like me!

"She wuss." He taunted me. "Sunny's a wuss and you're a wuss as well."

"Oh real mature Sides. I'm not going to kiss him just because you called me a wuss. Besides I thought that we were supposed to come out here to relax and have fun not to anger your brother again."

Sides gave me an innocent look. "I am completely relaxed, and on top of that I'm having fun."

"Well we're not." I deadpanned. "You're making both of us feel irritated and awkward so cut it out! Besides I'm so not giving my first-" I clamped my mouth shut so fast that I bit my tongue. "Nothing. I was going to say nothing at all!"

The wicked light came back into Sideswipe's optics. "Never been kissed even? That's so cute."

I flushed horribly and released an embarrassed growl. "Sh-shut up Sideswipe! God you're being a real jerk!" Man I was almost to the point where I wanted to cry! It was like he was poking fun because he thought it was pathetic that I was so inexperienced!

There was a sharp 'thwack' followed by an angry curse. "You're being an aft Sides!"

"Ouch what the slag was that for Sunny? I'm just teasing!" Sides glared at his twin.

"Yeah and in case you were too dense to notice you're upsetting Clare. Not that I really care, but I'd rather not have her leaking all over the place."

Sides quickly looked back at me looking rather alarmed. The look only grew when he noticed the sheen that must have been coating my eyes. "I wasn't being serious Clare!" He hastily comforted. "There's nothing wrong with being inexperienced! And you're still young so I should have expected it anyways! I promise that I was just poking a little fun and that I did not mean it to be hurtful."

I sniffled. "You're still an aftcake."

His optic ridges pulled together. "Aft-cake?"

I nodded. "You're an aftcake." Thankfully I was wearing long sleeves that I could use to wipe my eyes before I really did start crying. It wasn't only the teasing that had gotten to me, but it was the way Sunstreaker spoke of me so callously. I was used to it for the most part but it just really bothered me today. It was like he just saw me as a nuisance not worth his time. Was he only sitting here with us now because of my accident?

Sideswipe surprised me when he leaned over and rubbed his cheek over mine while a deep rumbling resonated through his body.

The metal was strangely soft like it was pliable and it was so warm that I was sure touching it for prolonged periods of time would make me break out in a sweat. The softness of it really got me though more than anything else at that moment. I rubbed my face back as a strange sound similar to the one he was making escaped me.

"I really am sorry Clare. Can you forgive me?" He pulled away and gave me the most adorable puppy dog expression I could ever expect to see on a twenty foot tall robotic being.

"Yes." I answered immediately. "I'm just sensitive about that stuff is all. I know you didn't mean it."

He offered me a genuine smile.

And then Sunstreaker had to go and open his mouth and ruin the moment. "If you two are going to insist on being so sickeningly sweet with one another at least let me know so I can leave in advance."

We both whipped in his direction. "SUNSTREAKER!" We shouted simultaneously.

He only smirked. What an aft!

* * *

R&amp;R! Some light teasing to hint at future things. The vote is still going for at least a few more chapters so take a look if you haven't already!

**infinity angelic wolf**\- Thanks!

**cmfanreidsgirl**\- Me either!

**Muirgen79**\- I know lol! It was a genius plot twist hehe!

**HeartsGuardianSol**\- Definitely lol! But you can be sure that he's not going to wait for long to use it. Oh Jazz glitch because of a bikini? IDK about that. And yes Ratchet finally got a little taste of his own medicine. Maybe I should give Clare a boomerang to use later XD.

**himelove22**\- Yes my little pony the evil children's show. And as for the question maybe.

**Izzy-dragon-rider**\- I loved the sheet bit lol. Yes I love the terminator bits XD. And well as you saw in this chapter they're going easy on her for now. That being the key part of the sentence.


	11. Chapter 11

Well I think it's safe to say that Sunstreaker has won the vote by a good bit. I guess I'll close it down after this chapter. It'll probably be hard to make him be the first to make a move, but I'll find a way to make it work. Anyways I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! I only own the OC and plot. Some descriptive and possibly disturbing stuff in this one. Nothing too bad but I wanted to let you all know in advance. Oh and am I the only one that thinks that Sunstreaker's theme song should by I'm sexy and I know it by LMFAO?

* * *

The next few days went by in a flash with me spending almost every waking moment with the twins when they weren't on patrol. We had managed to successfully prank Ironhide by stuffing confetti up his cannons which let me tell you was both hilarious and terrifying when he started chasing us! Of course we managed to get away from him otherwise I would probably have been hurt again, thankfully that was not the case.

My leg was healed too! Unfortunately the weekend had come so I was stuck on base until Monday anyways. Just as promised Optimus and Ratchet had rounded up a multitude of these little...well they almost were like a tablet. Optimus called them datapads. There was a myriad of information in each of them from the Golden Age of Cybertron, to the past great wars, and a bunch of things that I had not gotten around to reading yet.

One thing that I noticed when I started reading them was how fast I memorized things. Now I had always been a fast learner but now it was like I really could take a picture of whatever I was reading in my head and save it so that the information was permanently there. When I asked Ratchet about it he said that I was a Cybertronian get used to it. Apparently that meant that I now would never forget anything that I read. Kind of cool. I was pretty much the same before but not as exact. Still pretty cool.

So I spent most of the week healing and practicing shooting, then the weekend was spent reading datapads whenever Sides wasn't dragging Sunny and I out to do something stupid. Most of the other bots were busy during this time so my study time wasn't really enforced much to Sideswipe's enjoyment.

Another thing that was going to happen was a processor upgrade, sometime in the next day. Chromia and Ironhide wanted me to be prepared to step up my training next weekend. So either today or tomorrow I was goint to be dragged to the med bay again to have the necessary datapacks downloaded to my processor. Then I had a day or so of down time before I went home.

For now I was with Sides and Sunstreaker again on the opposite side of the island from the base. They had found a small oasis with a waterfall surrounded by trees and little tropical flowers. It really was beautiful so I took a still photo which Sides had shown me how to do so that I could remember it. "Wow...when did you guys find this place?" I walked around the pool of water kneeling next to it to peer into the crystal clear depths. You could literally see every stone at the bottom and all of the brightly colored fish swimming around. I WANT TO GO SWIMMING!

"Yesterday when we snuck off to avoid having patrol. It seemed like a nice place so I figured I'd bring you here. Femmes like pretty scenery." Sides shrugged like it was no big deal. Well to me it was a big deal. A very big deal.

"If I had my swimsuit I'd go swimming." With a shrug I stood and turned only to find myself face to face with the black bikini that Sides had been carrying around in his subspace. I gaped at it then at him. "Umm Sides?"

He grinned wickedly. "You promised..."

Aww man why did he have to remember that?! "Umm d-do I have t-to do it to-day?" I stammered eyeing the garment like it was poisonous. It was just a black two piece with strings that tied behind the neck and at the hips... In other words it was skimpy.

"You promised that as soon as your leg was healed you would wear it." He prompted me and shoved the thing in my face.

I stumbled clutching at it like it had burned me. "Sidessss" I whined. Why did I have to get myself into these situations all over a freaking spider? Granted it looked like the big spider from Aracnaphobia but still. Was it worth this new torture? No. I gave him my best pout in the hopes that it would make him change his mind but he only shook his helm and pointed me behind a dense patch of trees. With a sigh I turned and sulked all the way over to them contemplating my chances of outrunning them in an escape attempt. The chances were not very high...they could turn into freaking suped up sports cars that could top out at over 200MPH. So no I was not getting out of this.

I pushed my way behind the bush and stood there for a moment dreading what was about to happen... Then with great reluctance and with my spark hammering in my chest I started shedding my clothes...all of them. "No peeking!"

"I promise not to!" Came Sides' cheeky reply. The smile that must be on his face was audible in his voice.

The last of my garments my underwear fell to the dirt below...leaving me in the middle of a forest naked. My chest tightened in anxiety as sweat pooled at my brow from my overheated internal systems when I reached for the bikini bottoms and pulled them on tying the sides carefully. Then I grabbed the top and tied the back and neck area before sliding it around to slide my breasts into. One thing that I had noticed was that my breast were large but firm. Ratchet said that it was because of my protoform, there was actually only a relatively thin layer of flesh over my protoform so my chassis was large for my size. Yay for giant robotic boobs!

I took a moment to look myself over in the swimsuit cringing at all of the skin revealed showing the blue markings covering the entire left side of my body. Taking a deep breath I forced myself to step out from behind the bushes and into certain embarrassment and doom.

Both twins stopped talking to one another in favor of turning in my direction jaws prompty dropping.

My cheeks heated up in a blush. "I hate you right now." I stammered embarrassedly under the intense scrutiny. They were watching me like freaking hawks, optics roaming from my head to my feet several times over. Note to self never ever make such a stupid deal with Sides again!

Sides seemed to snap out of his staring first moving to kneel down in front of me, much too close for the comfort of my virgin mind. He reached out and it was then that I noticed he was looking most intently at the blue marks on my arm. And when his pointer digit made contact with a mark on my lower arm we both jolted as the left side of my body started glowing a bright yet still pale blue. An electric shock tore through my body literally jumping off of my skin and leaping onto Sides causing him to make a startled sound. But he didn't jump back.

The sensation was like a warm electric humming coursing through my body. It felt good, warm and stimulating. I didn't know what it was but...it was like I could feel another consciousness. It must have been Sides. His curiosity and wonder coursing into me strongly. "Sides? What's happening?"

His optics locked with mine looking so much brighter than I had ever seen them. "I can feel your spark." He murmured in awe. The pale blue glow reflected off of his bright red paint casting hues of red and pink around the small clearing we were in. It was like nothing I had ever seen before.

"Is that a bad thing?" I asked self consciously. All of this was still relatively new to me.

He looked surprised. "No of course not. It's very much like feeling your presence only with you I can feel a small inkling of your emotions. That is odd but it doesn't feel bad."

"Oh." Was my dumb response coming out in a more breathy tone. The sensations coursing through me were unlike anything I had ever felt before in my life, they were making my body grow incredibly warm.

Sides finally took pity on me and let me go. Just in time too because I almost felt like I would pass out at this rate. "We were going to swim right?"

"Yeah. Swim." I breathed out. Sides shifted down to his alt mode and activated his holoform only this time he was wearing red swim trunks. He shot a glare at Sunstreaker when his twin didn't move to do the same.

With a series of grumbles and growls the gold mech followed Sides' example and shifted down before activating his holoform as well. Surprise surprise he was wearing gold swim trunks to match his paint.

I blushed like crazy as I took their forms in. Tall, sculpted six pack abs, strong looking biceps and legs...and oh my god the pecks on these two! They were seriously about to make me faint or something!

The two caught my gaze raising holoform brows simultaneously as if to say _'what are you staring at?'_ or _'do you like what you see?'_ The latter seemed to be more Sideswipe's reaction to my gawking, and being caught gawking had me blushing again in record time. With an undignified scramble I hastily got into the pool and swam out into the middle allowing the cool water to relieve some of the heat.

I heard them get in but I didn't look in their direction. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that I couldn't make sense of. First there was the little encouonter between Sides and I where I apparently shot my spark at him or something. Don't ask me how cause I have no idea. Then there was me gawking at them like an idiot! And the worst part was that they noticed me gawking at them! At least I was smart enough not to get caught doing it when they were in their real form but damn! By this point I was almost sure that I was crushing hard!

Now this wouldn't be a problem if I had any sort of chance with either of them. However I was quite sure that I was only viable as a friend or a fuck buddy maybe. Because let's face it! Who would want to date a girl that only came up to their knee? And no that is not a slam against dwarfs or anything. This situation was just entirely different than that.

I would just ignore it! Yeah that would work! Just ingore it and pray that it would go away! It was only my first crush anyways! Girls and boys had dozens if not hundreds of crushes in their lifetimes and I, even if I was technically an alien, would be no different.

_'But a human boy will never complete you the way one of them would.'_ My mind whispered.

That was true. But I was not going to set myself up for heartbreak. No one would ever want to do that if it could be helped and I was no different. So I would ignore that little inkling in my chest that made me feel as if I had little butterflies fluttering around in there everytime I looked at one of them.

I nodded resolutely to myself as Sides swam over to me...raising the question of how they even knew how to swim. But then again they could just look it up on the internet and figure it out. I wondered if I would be able to do that at some point. It would be kinda cool to not have to use a computer to look up stuff on the internet!

"Thinking too hard Clare?" Sides grinned as he floated by me on his back looking completely relaxed.

"Maybe!" I laid back on the water with a cheerful chirp and took to floating beside him. "Not gonna tell you what I'm thinking about though." I teased him. If I could just keep this up maybe the whole ignoring my feelings thing would work.

He pouted. "Why not? I thought we were friends." There was a distinctly whining tone to his voice that made me want to giggle.

And I did so, soft bell like laughter escaping me. "We are! But sometimes friends just don't want to talk about things."

Sides opened his mouth to no doubt make some sort of protest only to be cut off by our other companion. "Leave her alone Sides. If she wants to talk she will if not leave her be." Sunstreaker chastised him.

"But Sunny!" Sides whined cutely. Yes cutely. He even had the whole puppy dog optics thing going on to add to the act.

Sunstreaker swiftly glared at him. "No buts. Just shut up and do this swimming thing you wanted to try."

"Fine!"

After that we spent a good amount of time screwing around in the water. I took to splashing Sunstreaker whenever he got close enough just because he got pissed off and chased me. Haha I was a better swimmer though and I swam under the water to get away since for some reason he would not actually go under. Weird I know but it made getting away from him easy.

I was actually having a lot of fun having all out splash wars with Sides, and double teaming Sunstreaker in our game. When we weren't doing that Sides and I were practicing different swimming techniques for fun. So far I had shown him the breast stroke, back stroke, the butterfly stroke, and a few others that I couldn't remember the names for. The way Sides did the breast stroke was freaking hilarious though I think he was doing it on purpose. Sctatch that, the way he would come up and make a multitude of sounds for no apparent reason, ranging from a firetruck imitation to doing a beatbox imitation like that one guy from that gay ass children's cartoon yo gabba gabba I think, was freaking hilarious.

Then Sides, that fragging afthole came up from under me while I was distracted and picked me up on his shoulders making me shriek. "Sides put me down you jerk!" I laughed while I clutched at him to keep myself upright. "Oh man if only Bee were here we could play chicken!"

"What's chicken? Besides an earth bird that lays eggs?" Oh Sides he looked so clueless!

"It's a game where there are two pairs! One person props the other up on their shoulders and then the two people who are riding on the other people's shoulders try and wrestle the other person into the water. It's fun!"

"Well you can try and wrestle Sunny down into the water from there." Sides suggested making Sunstreaker glare at him.

What a great idea! I doubted that it would work...but a girl could try right? I sized Sunstreaker up warily looking for the right way to take him down. But was there really a right way to take down a giant robotic alien in human form? No probably not. So why not wing it?

Only things did not go exactly as I had planned...for when I shifted on Sides' shoulders in preparation for my attack on Sunstreaker I slipped and fell forward smacking face first into my target. Now this would not have been necessarily bad if by falling face first onto him I did not mean that I literally actually fell mouth first onto his own freaking mouth. Thus kissing him as we fell into the water. My eyes popped open so wide at that first touch as did his, a furious blush rising to my cheeks instantly. I floundered not really knowing what to do for a moment until I abruptly pulled myself away and rushed back to the surface of the pool. Without missing a beat I waded past Sides who was looking rather surprised by the turn of events and hefted myself from the water. I stalked over behind the bushes where I had left my clothes and yanked them on over my swimsuit before I took off at a brisk jog back in the direction of the base.

My mind was spinning chaotically with the events that had just transpired. I had kissed Sunstreaker! Sure it was on accident but somehow I doubted that that would make any sort of difference to him! And right when we were actually getting to the point where he didn't want to squish me... How freaking tragic. Well all of that was sure to go up in a fiery pit of doom and despair now... He probably would never even look at me again. A disasterous end to one of my first crushes... Sigh. His soon to be rejection and anger was already hurting my spark so much and it hadn't even happened yet. Maybe I should just avoid them until...well until they came to find me?

Yeah that would have to work because I could not face them after what had happened.

Sideswipe's demands from that day at the beach came back to me, him demanding that Sunstreaker and I kiss. Fragger had gotten his wish. At least someone would be happy with this situation.

Sunstreaker sure wouldn't be.

* * *

**(Sunstreaker's POV)**

I was frozen, unable to even contemplate changing back into my real form. The feeling of warm flesh lips pressed against my own equally pliable ones was still fresh in my processor. So warm and soft and unlike anything I had expected. I had expected her flesh armor to taste bad, but surprisingly enough it had tasted just like any other femme I had kissed. Sweet with a metallic tang. The taste coming through the fleshy covering.

Sides' part of the bond was filled with elation and joy. The fragger was getting so much out of what had just happened. That was most likely due to the fact that my twin liked the little femme as more than a friend. Thus the reason for his overly blatant flirting.

And me? I was being influenced by those emotions and thoughts deeply. My twin liked her and what one felt the other felt even if they didn't like it. And I really didn't like it, at least before the last few solar cycles I had detested it. Now, after our brief contact and the subsequent rush of affection that Sides was feeling, well it made me feel...well less inclined to detest it anymore.

**(What did she taste like? C'mon Sunny share it with me!)** Sides badgered me.

Without really thinking about it I replayed the memory of her soft lips pressing aginst mine, focusing strongly on the sweet taste of her.

**(Primus I want to try that too!)** Sides groaned in need. **(She's so fragging hot even with that fleshy armor. I wonder what she looks like underneath all of that.)**

A deep growl of frustration escaped me before I could stop it. **(Just shut up Sides! You're the one that started all of this! The feelings for that femme! All of it! What do you even want with her anyways? A quick frag then send her packing like every other femme?)**

**(No. You're the one that uses femmes like that Sunny not me. If I could I would have already had us a pretty little femmefriend of our own. Maybe you should stop using them for face.)**

Another growl escaped me. That was easy for him to say! Bots of all kinds flocked to him for his outgoing and cheerful personality! The femmes only wanted him when we were outside the berth, only ever paying attention to me when we were in it. I was the frag toy, no good for anything else! Yet he wanted me to give a femme a chance? Maybe they should give me one! I was better than any mech out there and they should know that! Nobot could frag like I could!

**(Maybe they want something other than rough loving in the berth?)** Sides suggested as he sidled up beside me. **(You've got to give it an effort outside of the berth to get what you really want. Don't change per se, but try not being so...quick to take out your anger on them.)**

**(I shouldn't have to change for a femme. I'm perfect the way I am.)** And as far as I was concerned everybot knew it and was jealous. I knew it in my spark that I was the best mech in the universe and no femme bot or mech was going to tell me otherwise. **(Just forget it Sides...)**

**(But Sunny I like her! She's nice and funny...she likes us both for who we are! Maybe she can be the one to accept you for who you are? She's done her best to treat you and I the same, even going so far as to spend equal time with us.)**

**(I don't care.)** I steeled myself and released my holoform to return to my real form. Once I was back in my frame I gunned my engine and took off leaving Sides behind... The femme was not something that I wanted to think about. Her warm lips and sweet taste. The innocence with which she had looked at me with. Sides could try and convince me that she would be different but I knew better. I always did.

I didn't want to be the second choice again. The rejected one. Only good for interfacing and not even considered an actual bonding prospect. It was the one thing that could hurt even my spark.

Frag femmes. Frag bonding. They were only good for interfacing. That was what I told myself.

But why did I think otherwise when I remembered that kiss? What was my twin and that femme doing to me?

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

I avoided the twins as much as I could having a good excuse thanks to the processor upgrade I had to get done. After that I spent time recovering from the processor aches for the next day until it was time to go home. Jazz had spent the majority of that time prodding at me to know what had happened, subtly of course, but I just couldn't talk about it. Everytime I even thought about it my cheeks got all warm and my lips tingled. My chest felt like it was filled with butterflies... I just didn't know what to do with myself.

I found myself inching around base looking for any sign of the two before I would enter or leave a room. Whenever I even saw a flash of red or gold I bolted in the other direction. Jazz must have noticed my behavior but I just couldn't bring myself to talk about it.

My first kiss would lead to rejection. Sigh...every girls dream. At least today I got to go home. Right now I was waiting in the hangar for whoever was supposed to escort me home, hope filling my every fiber that it was not Sideswipe or Sunstreaker.

Unfortunately much to my chagrin it was the gold mech himself that stalked into the hangar with an angry scowl on his face. Sideswipe was trailing along after him with a wide cheerful smile. He waved at me as soon as he saw me seemingly thinking nothing of the situation from the other day. "Hi Clare."

"Hi Sides." I waved to him awkwardly using his presence to distract me from looking at Sunstreaker. "So ummm who got sadled with Claresitting duty?"

He grinned at my name for it gesturing at Sunstreaker. "Sunny did. He's so excited about it too!" Sides teased.

Sunstreaker scowled angrily making me want to shrink into myself and disappear. He hated me now I was sure of it. So sure of it and it hurt. "Oh. Ok." I mumbled awkwardly. "Well I guess I'll see you next time you get stuck watching me?"

The normally bright and cheerful red mech grinned even wider if that was possible. "Sure thing Clare." He scooted closer to me kneeling down so that he was once again in my personal space. "And be careful with Sunny while he's with you ok? He's really fragile right now."

Sunstreaker reached out and cuffed his brother on the helm harshly. While I was left to wonder what the heck that meant? "Shut up you slagging idiot!"

The harsh tone almmost made me want to snap back away from Sunstreaker, but I knew that he wouldn't actually hurt me even if he was angry at me. Sure at the beginning there were the times when he was tempted and I could see it but I didn't feel that from him anymore. Our relationship had its rocky points but overall I had thought that we were starting to become friends...and then I had gone and fell on his face and kissed him. Man I was so stupid. "I wouldn't purposefully do anything to hurt him Sides he's my friend." I told him honestly. "Not that I could because he's Sunstreaker and he'd crush me like an insignificant insect if I tried, please note the sarcasm by the way." I forced myself to speak in a joking tone, smiling like inside I was perfectly fine.

Sunstreaker frowned at me. "No I wouldn't." He grumbled in what sounded like a bitter tone.

Oh shit I had offended him somehow...without even trying. I sighed. "It was a joke Sunny. I'm saying that I don't think I could hurt you in any way and definitely not physically. Therefore I made a joke about it. It was supposed to be funny aftcake."

He growled at me and I was expecting some kind of rebuttal about the name I had called him both of them. But nothing like that came. He just stood there.

Sides just stood there too not commenting which was unusual as he looked back and forth between the two of us.

The atmosphere was distinctly heavy and even somewhat foreboding or maybe it was just me feeling that way. I mean the last day had been spent avoiding them due to my own embarrassment, and not just that but it was spent wallowing in the thoughts of rejection. So I had expected something bad to happen when I saw him...him belittling me for kissing him or outright telling me to never get that close to him again. But he had not yet done any of that. That didn't mean that he wouldn't...maybe he was waiting until Sides was gone before crushing me. I mean if Sides was around during that he would probably try and comfort me or admonish his brother somehow, and that would only anger Sunstreaker.

Well it was best to just get this done. Get him alone so that he could deliver the crushing blow. It would hurt but then again it was just a crush so I would be ok. "Well Sunny we have to get going."

Without uttering a single word he shifted down to alt mode and opened the passenger door for me. I waved at Sides trying my best not to show the anxiety and pain I was already feeling as I got into Sunny. He gave me an odd look but waved back nonetheless.

"I think I'm coming to take over for Sunny tomorrow Clare! I'll see you then ok?" He called to me.

"Ok." I called back before the door slid shut and the seatbelt slid around me.

After that it fell into complete silence as we drove to the airport. The silence was nearly destroying my sanity...but I could say nothing as we flew back to Tranquility.

What could I say? I just didn't know. Part of me wanted to say sorry and make promises not to do it again. And another part of me, the part that was crushing hard wanted to do it again.

So I did nothing. And neither did he.

* * *

A day went by. Bee took Sam and I to school as usual the next morning. Sunstreaker followed us and parked in the back of the lot farthest from any cars. Sam seemed to notice that something was bothering me as did Bee, but neither of them asked me about it. Mikeala on the other hand kept badgering me.

But I didn't answer her questions or demands. I was too busy sulking due to the fact that Sunstreaker would not talk to me at all. When I tried he sat there silently not commenting even to make a snide remark, and his silence was the worst kind of rejection.

He made me want to cry because of how he was acting and I never cried for real. But it was just how he was making me want to react. I was torn, apologetic about what had happened, and then not because in a way I had enjoyed it.

Should I just apologize and get it over with? Or should I be my normal blunt self and tell him to get over it because I actually liked it? Something told me that one of those two, whichever I chose was either going to destroy any chance of friendship we had, or perhaps it would make things better between us. Or maybe I was just lost in wishful thinking? Yeah probably the last one.

Anyways at lunch time I escaped from Mikeala and retreated to the outside tables where Sides, Bee, and I had that run in with Trent. I sat down with my lunch eyes landing briefly on Sunny's alt mode across the lot. I only held the direction of my gaze for a moment before I turned with a sigh and started picking at my lunch.

I had wanted to be alone to think, but life had other plans in the form of Mikeala storming up to where I was sitting with her own lunch. She plopped down with a glare and proceeded to just stare at me for a moment.

I ignored it focusing more intently on picking at my food and mulling over my crappy luck with males...er mechs. My mind kept telling me that no human would ever compare to one of them and I was inclined to agree. They would constantly grow old and die, I could never reproduce with one even with the Allspark, I could never be sparkmates with one. The list just kept going on and on.

"So are you going to tell me what happened to make you act like a depressed recluse or what?" Mikeala prompted me after several moments of heavy silence.

A deep sigh escaped me. "I kissed someone and well...it was an accident and all, but I think he hates me now because of it." I whispered low enough that I hoped Sunstreaker wouldn't hear it.

Mikeala gasped eyes brightening. "Really? Who was it? Was it one of the soldiers on base? Or was it one of the Autobots?" She whisper yelled back excitedly.

"Mikeala shhh! I don't want anyone to hear!"

"Sorry. But I have to know who! What was it like for you?" She leaned forward with her elbows propped up on the table top until she was in my personal space.

I thought back to the kiss with Sunstreaker as brief as it had been I could still remember the warmth and how firm yet soft his lips were. And the taste was like something metallic yet still spicy with a sweet tang. It had sent warmth shooting through every inch of my body like an electric current. I liked it. "It was warm and it made me feel like this electric current was shooting straight through me. I liked it."

She squealed softly under her breath, not looking like her normal biker girl self. At least that's what she seemed like to me sometimes. "Who? What did it taste like?"

My eyes briefly shot over to where Sunny was sitting in the parking lot, a blush breaking out across my cheeks. Well if he could hear he already knew what was being discussed so... "Well it was umm..." Still I couldn't force myself to say it out loud when he could possibly hear it so I scooted around to Mikeala's side and leaned down to whisper in her ear. "It was Sunstreaker. I ummm I accidentally fell on him and kissed him while he was in holoform."

She gaped at me. "No way. You..." Her eyes darted over to the sleek golden lamborghini then back to me with this gleam in them. "and him kissed? And you're still alive?" Her voice rose to a slightly higher octave.

I frowned at her. "Mikeala Sunnn-streaker would not hurt me. Sure he can be a jerk sometimes and he's aggressive, but he's never actually hurt me on purpose. He may be upset that I kissed him even if it was on accident, but I trust him not to ever take it out on me like that."

She immediately looked apologetic. "Oh right. Well you know him better than Sam and I do."

"I do."

"So what did it taste like?"

My cheeks heated up until they felt like they would scald anyone that touched them. "Well it was metallic kind of but still spicy and somewhat sweet. Really it was strange yet it kind of tasted good. Really good. And he was so warm. At first I was mortified cause it was my first kiss...but I liked it. He may be mad but I still liked it." And admitting that made my spark hammer in my chest almost painfully.

"Your first kiss?!"

"Yeah."

She grinned at me like the cat that ate the damn canary. "Well are you guys gonna talk and maybe go out? It's obvious to me that you like him."

As soon as the words were out of her mouth I reached over in a flash and smacked my hand over it to shut her up, whispering furiously. "Mikeala shut up! He's over there in the parking lot right now!"

She mumbled against my hand. "Immknophh."

"Well then stop talking about it! He doesn't like me like that!" I tried to ignore how admitting that made me feel. Like straight up slag.

She pushed my hand off. "You don't know that! Clare you kissed him and he let you live! That has to mean something."

"No it doesn't Mikeala. Just please-" A form plopped down beside me mid sentence someone's big beefy arm wrapping around my shoulders in a tight embrace. I took one look at our new arrical and growled dangerously. "Trent get lost!" Primus didn't this guy ever take a freaking hint?!

He gave me that stupid mock hurt look again. "Aww babe don't be like that! I saw you sitting over here with the football team's used goods so I decided to come and give you some real company."

Mikeala scowled at him. "Fuck you Trent!"

"Already did Mikea, many times." He responded easily before turning his attention to me again. "So how about you and me go and see a movie this weekend Clare? It'll be my treat."

I shoved his arm off. "Umm how about no? I don't like you and I never will Trent. Just get over it and move on with your life. Come on Mikeala let's go inside before his presence corrupts us." With that I stood and gathered my things before turning to leave.

A sudden rough jerk on my arm had me stumbling back my things falling to the ground as hands wrapped around me, one cupping my right breast, and another cupping me through my pants. Hot breath ghosted against my ear the only thing that I could clearly hear when Trent was actually molesting me!

"Hey let her go Trent you fucking asshole!" Mikeala shouted.

He squeezed me through my clothes causing my breath to catch in my throat. Disgust and revulsion crept through my entire body as I finally regained myself enough to move to shove him off.

Only before I even could he was roughly jerked away from me. I spun around to see my savior Sunstreaker holding Trent by the throat suspended a good two feet from the ground, his look was positively murderous. "Give me one good reason why I should not rip your fragging hands off and stuff them down your throat." He growled dangerously.

He looked almost prepared to do just that at a moments notice too! I had seen Sunstreaker livid, but this was taking it. Terror welled up inside of me at the thought that he might actually do it! I knew what would happen if he did and I didn't want to face that. So I did the first thing that came to me...I opened a comm. link between us as I lunged at him from behind hugging him from the back.** :Sunny you can't actually hurt him! Remember what Optimus said! Let him go.:**

If anything his grip only tightened around Trent's neck, whom was already turning purple from oxygen deprevation. But just when I thought he was about to actually strangle Trent to death he released his grip and let the idiot fall to the grass below. "Stay away from Clare you piece of scrap." He growled menacingly.

I rubbed soothing circles on his stomach to try and calm him. **:It's ok. I'm fine. He just surprised me is all.:**

Trent took off like a coward the minute he regained his feet. That left us standing there in silence. Sunstreaker had not yet moved to shrug me off and me? I was content to cling to him for as long as he would allow. At least I wanted to. I wanted to cling to him and pretend that he was letting me because I actually had a chance with him.

But I had to let him go because I had no doubt that Trent would be going to the Principal. So Sunny had to get out of here. I wanted him to stay but... "You should go before the Principal calls the cops."

He turned to look at me, turning in my arms so that he was facing me, towering over me even in holoform. We just stood there with him staring at me.

"I'll talk to Optimus if he wants to know what happened...you know if he wants to punish you for it."

He said nothing. Just continued staring at me. I had to push him back towards his alt mode to break him out of it. "Please Sunny. You need to go before anyone comes to see what happened. Bee will bring me back after school. I'll see you then."

He seemed to get what I was saying then and turned to return to his alt mode. But before he separated from me I swear I saw his eyes soften so minutely that I barely caught it. Then he was gone running back across the parking lot to hop into his alt mode to make it seem like he was actually human. With a loud roar of his engine he was tearing out of the lot.

I just watched him go. Torn and grateful at the same time. When I got home I would have to talk to him. We had to sort things out.

Or more like I had to apologize for what had happened and hope that he would still be willing to not hate me again. That would be great compared to any of the other forseeable outcomes I could predict.

Hopefully he would be willing to forgive me.

I prayed that he would.

* * *

R&amp;R! So there's the first kiss and some awkwardness between the two. Sunny won the vote so I'm going to start working on getting them together. It'll probably be bumpy at best but hey I'm going to do the best I can!

**cmfanreidsgirl**\- Well that's going to be the story of her life...for a while only it's only going to get more complicated.

**Muirgen79**\- Yup he deserved it for not letting her take a break!

**himelove22**\- Lol I come up with the best words and phrases XD.

**nighten-gale1720**\- I used to slaughter my friends on halo too back in the day lol. I'm glad that you could make a connection between the story and real life!

**HeartsGuardianSol**\- Well I kind of expect worse from like HotRod or Bluestreak... maybe it's just me lol. But yeah poor Clare...snickers...it was so freaking funny! And keep waving that flag! Next chapter is going to be interesting I'll bet.

**Izzy-dragon-rider**\- I think that at this point Sunny's oblivious to the fact that HE likes her and not just Sides XD. And no he wasn't embarrassed that's just how he is, at least in that situation he was just telling it like it was. But yeah he does get embarrassed easily.

**OptimusPrimesgirl213**\- Glad you're enjoying it!


	12. Chapter 12

Wow I portray Trent as such a jerk lol. But hey he kind of is right? Anyways I think he got scared off for a good while thanks to Sunny. But hey who wouldn't get scared shitless by Sunstreaker XD. It's all part of why we all love him. Anyways on with the story! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

After school I arrived home with Bee, Sam, and Mikeala to find Sunstreaker already long gone. Sideswipe was sitting there in the space where the visiting bots just seemed to frequent. I felt a stab of frustration and pain in my chest... So he hadn't wanted to talk to me after all. It shouldn't have surprised me.

I felt heavy when I got out of Bee and trudged towards the house. After everything that had happened at school, surprisingly enough Trent had not gone to the Principal but I should have expected that because he was one of those guys that had to look tough. And well getting your ass thoroughly intimidated by another guy was not...well it wasn't very tough looking. So the rest of the day had passed in relative peave.

Only now my mind was in chaos all over again. I wanted to talk to Sunstreaker and ask why he had reacted so strongly to Trent. Not only that but I wanted to talk to him about what had happened the other day. But he didn't seem to want to talk to me about it if his early departure was anything to go by.

It left me feeling dejected and crushed. As spontaneous and outgoing as I could be, my feelings were often times just as easy to beat down in certain circumstances. Apparently being ignored by someone I was crushing on was one of those situations.

Sam and Mikeala left me alone to go to his room while I trudged upstairs to mine not even looking to see if Aunt Judy had left me a list of things to do today. I just wasn't in the mood to care about anything right now.

I entered my room and tossed my bag on the floor near my desk before I flopped down stomach first onto my bed. And I just lay there with my chin propped up against my forearms, thinking about everything that had been going on lately.

I lay there in dejection until I felt a weight plop down onto the bed beside me. "Sulking Clare? That doesn't really seem like you." Sides plopped down on his side with his head propped up on his right arm.

"Shut it Sides." I muttered tiredly.

"Sunny told me about what happened earlier." He continued on with a thoughtful look on his face like I had never even spoke. "He was really slagged off about what that fragger did to you. Then again I was pretty slagged off too. As was Jazz when I told him about it. I think that the next time he comes to see you here he's going to have a talk with that human boy."

I grimaced. Oh great...now my opi was going to do horrible things to Trent. Well maybe that wasn't such a bad thing when I thought about it. Maybe it would actually get him to leave me alone so that I wasn't runninng the risk of getting molested everytime I went to school. "Do I want to know what exactly a talk entails?"

A wide grin and a slow accentuated shaking of Sides' head was my only response. Then he abruptly switched topics. "So what's eating at you? Was it what happened at school or something else?"

The way he asked that made me think that he knew more than he let on and was only asking so that he could have a verbal answer to what he already knew. I glared at him for that thought. "Why does it matter what's on my mind?"

He frowned. "Well because we're friends of course." He got a strange gleam in his eye when he said that.

"Ok but I still don't understand why you're asking me when it's obvious that you already know what's bothering me!" I sat up abruptly until I was towering over him. He moved to sit up as well.

"Is it about what happened the other day?"

I growled and shoved him suddenly. "It's not funny!"

He recovered from my assault on his person and raised a brow at me. "I never said that it was. What I want to know is why it's bothering you so much. Not only that but it's bothering Sunny too but I know why that is. Not that I'll tell you until you tell me why you're so upset by it."

My jaw clenched hard as I felt my temper shooting straight through the roof. Was he really baiting me like that? Did he think that it was ok to talk about other people's feelings and thoughts when they weren't present? Was it only for his own amusement? No. Sides wouldn't do that! It was just my frustration at his twin that was making my temper so ignitable. "Why wouldn't I be upset by it?" I challenged him.

He smirked wickedly. "Do you want to hear my theory on why you're so upset by it?"

In my anger and frustration I just snapped. "Of course I would! You're obviously so far ahead of the rest of us that you must know so please enlighten me!"

"You like Sunny." He stated bluntly.

My jaw dropped like a ton of bricks. "What?!" I spluttered like a gaping fish as we stared each other down, me looking stupid and him looking smug.

He leaned forward into my space and grinned. "You like Sunny. You liked kissing him. But now you're afraid that he'll reject you so you're upset."

My entire body slumped in defeat. Was I really that transparent? Better yet what do I do from here? Because here I was being confronted by a mech that I was crushing on, about his brother who I was also crushing on...who would most likely reject me as soon as he was ready to talk to me. "It's funny to you isn't it?" I murmured in a dejected tone.

He looked at me oddly. "No why would it be?"

I shrugged. "Well because Sunstreaker would never give me a chance and you know it. So it must be funny right?" Each word I spoke made me want to sink further and further into myself in humiliation. Putting your own fears and insecurities out for someone else to pick apart was not something that was easy. If anything it was scary and demeaning.

Sideswipe sighed and scooted closer to me. "Clare Sunny is a bit hard to get close to. He's standoffish and cold to almost everybot around him, so I can see why you would think that. But let me tell you something, Sunny feels things for those around him too. It's just that it's hard for him to express it, so he generally just doesn't. That makes others think that he's cold and unfeeling which is not the case. Self expression is just hard for him."

"I know. I told him something similar to that as well last time he was here." I looked down at my lap and twiddled my thumbs nervously. "It's why I gave him that sketchpad to draw in...because I know that talking to express oneself is hard for him. So I gave him another way."

"He uses it a lot you know? It's almost filled up by now even."

That made me feel a little twinge of happiness, the thought that Sunny was finding happiness and enjoyment out of it. If that was the case then mission accomplished. "That's good then."

It got kind of awkward for a few moments after that cause he kept staring at me like a weirdo while not saying anything. I mean I wasn't really sure why he came up here if not to pick on me about everything that had happened with Sunstreaker and I. So I sat there on my bed trying to avoid looking at him for too long, to avoid being drawn in by his handsome face.

"He does like you ya know? It's hard for him to understand why or to tell you but he does. If you ask me it's because you treat us the same, spending equal amounts of time with both of us. And you don't just avoid him because he's so aloof. If anything you try harder to pay attention to him just for that reason. Nobot has ever done that for him before besides me."

If that was really true my spark went out to him. "Well that's not really fair if you think about it. Treating people like that is like expecting them to change or something, and no one should be forced to change to be accepted. Sure it may be just as hard to accept for some as it is to be accepted oneself, but everyone has the right to be comfortable being who they are. That includes Sunstreaker. I just happen to be one of those people that tries to accept and feel friendship for everyone."

"And that's a good quality." He smiled softly at me. "Sunny could use that you know?"

"Yeah and that's why I try to include him in things. Sometimes it really is hard but...well I'm not the type to give up. At some points I wanted to because he made it so hard just to be around him at times, but I didn't and I thought that we were actually making progress towards you know him not wanting to squish me. Then I fall on him and we swap spit ugh!" I flopped down onto the bed unceremoniously with a groan.

Sideswipe sat there silently obviously giving me time to think. "Let me ask you something."

"Shoot." Might as well get everything sorted out.

"What do you like about Sunny?"

Without really even thinking I answered, because I really didn't need to think hard to know why I liked Sunstreaker. The same way that I didn't really have to think to know what I liked about Sideswipe. "Well some girls like the whole I'm a total aft personality. Apparently I happen to be one of those girls that think it's hot." A furious blush crept up to my cheeks making me question why I was saying this to Sideswipe and not someone like Mikeala, you know a girl friend. "And then there's the fact that when he does show affection it's so much more meaningful than when most other people show it. It's hard for him but it means that when he shows it it's genuine. And he's honest...brutally honest but still truthful all the same and most guys aren't. They tell you what you want to hear to get what they want...and Sunstreaker just doesn't care. He tells it like it is and that's...well it's pretty hot." Oh my god had I just referred to him as hot multiple times in succession around Sideswipe? Oh god I had!

Sideswipe hummed thoughtfully. "I see. So you like the few qualities that ever actually get noticed."

"Yeah I guess so." Rolling over onto my back I stared straight at the ceiling contemplating everything, all the emotions whirling around inside me. "And well he's not bad looking either." I blushed harder if possible when I remembered the way he looked in his real form and holoform...and the way his lips molded to mine when I kissed him. "Don't tell him that I didn't say something like oh my god he's like Primus's gift to the femme populace because if you say what I actually said he'll either get pissy...well he'll probably get pissy."

Sides laughed. "Yeah he probably would. But hey maybe it would take his ego down a bit."

It was silent. "No way." I deadpanned with a grin overtaking my features. Sunstreaker not wanting to feed his ego was not even a plausible thought to me!

Sides grinned at me before we both busted out laughing so hard that he had to lean against the headboard of my bed to keep himself from falling. "You're right Clare. That would completely destroy his ego."

"I know it would."

"So do you want to know how I know he likes you?" Sides asked after we had both calmed down considerably.

I immediately sat up and invaded his personal space. "Sides if you don't tell me then the next time I pull a paint prank on you it'll be worse than my little pony... I'll paint you up in barbies of every color."

He shifted back slightly giving me a false wary look. "Down femme!" He joked. "I'll tell you if you promise not to paint me barbie colors."

In a second I was right in his face so close that I could feel his breath fanning across my own lips. "Only if you stop screwing around and tell me!"

That gleam came back to his eyes that one that told me he was contemplating teasing me more. Instead of following through with it he took mercy on me. "Well Clare there are a few reasons that he likes you, the first being that you accept him no matter how he acts. Then there's the fact that you give him all of the attention he won't admit that he needs and you don't quit on him even when he's being an aft. You're also very attractive with a nice shape even with your organic covering." He leaned in towards me with a look of mischief on his face. "Then there's the fact that you're so innocent in everything sexual. Any mech would find that incredibly hot."

"Sideswipe!" I smacked him upside the head while furiously blushing again. Hell at this point I was going to have a permanent blush no matter what I did so might as well get used to it! "You're so perverted!"

"It's an art." He shrugged.

Oh I bet it is...and you do it so well. I smacked myself for thinking that. "Ok so what should I do next time I see him? He won't even talk to me." With an exasperated sigh I flopped back down beside Sides to go over the things that I could do to make up with Sunny...and maybe get him to stop being so difficult. "Maybe bribe him with car washes?" I suggested.

"Maybe if you give him a wash while wearing that bikini again."

"Sides!" Oh my god he was horrible!

He held up his hands in surrender. "What? It was just a suggestion."

"I want to get him talking to me again not go all white snake music video on him jeez!"

I saw his eyes dim signalling that he was searching the internet, most likely for a white snake music video. When he found it he choked out a laugh. "You should do something like that! Like when he's in recharge you should crawl up on his hood in a skimpy outfit and sprawl yourself out on him!" He busted out laughing.

Me? I was so not laughing! "Sides I am not doing that! He'd throw me off in a sparkbeat! God I want to get him to talk to me again not piss him off!"

He suddenly bounded up from the bed and pulled me along with him. "Then let's go find him! He's on patrol for the rest of the day so we can track him down and you two can make up!"

"NO!" That was the last thing that I wanted to do right now! Well not really but being rejected didn't sound like too much fun! Before my protest had even fully passed my lips I was suddenly hanging upside down over his shoulder as he charged from the room like an overexcited puppy. "SIDESWIPE!" I bellowed angrily when we went racing down the stairs past Sam and Mikeala who both gave me wide eyed looks.

"BEE!" I shouted when we made it to the backyard. Sides threw me into his real form before Bee could react, then without even a breath in between his holoform disappeared before he gunned it and raced from the backyard. "Sides!"

"Shhh! Sunny's actually pretty close by! If we're quick he won't have time to get away!"

Had I really been taken prisoner by Sideswipe? Yup. I had. No doubt about it. Tentatively I poked at my bond with Jazz to find it shut tight. So no help there. I didn't want to comm. Ironhide or Optimus because somehow I doubted that Sides kidnapping me would be acceptable to them. Ratchet and the triplets were a no go as well for obvious reasons. That only left Sunstreaker and Bee and the latter was supposed to watch over Sam too so I didn't want to keep him from that. And Sunstreaker? Well he was the whole reason for this mess in the first place.

So I was going to comm. link him! **:Hey Sunstreaker!:** I shouted through the private link.

**:What?!:** Came his gruff reply. **:I'm patrolling femme I don't have time to be bothered!:**

I ignored the hurt that his response engineered in me. **:Well your brother kidnapped me so excuse me for comm. linking you to demand that you help me!:**

Silence. **:He kidnapped you?:**

**:Yes!:**

**:Fragging fraggit to the pit.:** He cursed angrily. **:Hold on I'm coming towards him now.:** The link cut after that.

Only a moment later that sleek golden alt came screeching around a corner ahead of us dodging between traffic. I scowled as he cut Sideswipe off forcing him to turn to avoid crashing into him. Both pulled into an alley with Sides in the front and Sunstreaker trailing behind.

Right when I thought Sides was going to stop he suddenly sped out of the other side. "Sides what the frag are you doing?" I heard Sunstreaker's angry curse through Sideswipe's speakers. Though I hardly paid it any attention as the two broke out into a frantic game of cat and mouse in which Sides was the mouse obviously, and Sunstreaker was the cat. And Sides, the lovable idiot that he was dragged the three of us all through the entire city into the outskirts of the city limits.

Then we left the city of Tranquility behind to venture into the desert surrounding it. By this point there was no cars around so both of them stepped their chase up until they were pushing over 200MPH. Let me tell you it was freaking fast as hell and exhilarating too.

I would have really enjoyed it if it weren't for the fact that I had been kidnapped by Sides, or for the fact that Sunstreaker was cursing up one hell of a storm as he chased us. He was going to be so pissed when this was over.

Or I was going to be because no sooner has I thought that then Sides, the fragging lovable jerk suddenly stopped, swung his door open and undid the seatbelt before throwing me out. Then while I was sitting there on the ground dazed and confused he took off leaving me there with Sunstreaker who had just pulled up. "Sides you aftcake!" I yelled angrily.

**:Catch ya after you're done!:** Was his cheeky reply. Oh that fragging aftmonkey!

We were a good distance away from the road and any civilization, even so I was surprised when Sunstreaker shifted into bi pedal mode. His face was set into a scowl as he approached me. "What was all of that about?"

"Ummm Sides being an aftmonkey...?" I squeaked. Oh I was so going to kill him for this later! Slowly and painfully after I painted him barbie colors and dedicated the 'I'm a barbie girl' song to him! Ugh!

His optics narrowed on me. "Sides being an aftmonkey does not explain why he dragged us both out here before offering to cover the rest of my patrol until I take you home. Spill femme."

"MY NAME IS NOT FEMME! IT'S CLARE DAMMIT!" Ugh the nerve of this mech! "And don't tell me what to do Mr. I'mtoogoodtotalktoClare!" I snarked angrily. This isn't exactly how I wanted to do this but my temper was already frayed from everything that had been happening lately, and the way that he referred to me as femme just pissed me off for some reason.

A deep reverberating growl resonated from deep in his chassis coming from his powerful engine. He plopped down gracefully and snatched me up like a doll dangling me in front of his face. "Ok Clare tell me why I was dragged away from my patrol to have some important conversation as Sideswipe put it."

"Why do you have to put it like that?!" I snapped. God whenever he talked about me it was like a constant bout of putting me down every chance he got! The worst part was that for some reason it didn't make me hate him! Quite the opposite really apparently I liked him treating me like crap! God why did I have to be one of those girls? Or was it just because I was new at this and had never been in a situation like this before? "When you talk like that you make it sound like talking to me is such an inconvenience on your perfect little existense!"

"Well maybe it is!" He snapped back! "Maybe everytime I'm forced to come and talk to you for any reason I feel like I'm doing something pointless!"

My entire body snapped back as if I'd been physically struck. Tears welled up in my eyes as rejection tore into me sending the droplets cascading down my cheeks one after the other. Sides was so wrong about him! He didn't want anything to do with me. And I...

"Why are you leaking?" He looked disturbed watching the tears dripping down my cheeks. Or maybe it was disgust who could ever tell with him?

"Put me down." I demanded in a raspy tone. My spark felt like it had been physically shattered leaving me feeling something that I have never felt before. Sparkbreak.

"Why? You two were the ones that wanted to get me out here so that you and I could talk. About what I still don't know, and now you're leaking like a sparkling." He sneered.

Something inside of me just snapped. "I'M LEAKING BECAUSE I'M A FUCKING IDIOT WHO DEVELOPED FREAKING FEELINGS FOR AN AFTCAKE LIKE YOU! THEN YOUR BROTHER MADE ME COME OUT HERE AND TALK IT OUT ONLY YOU'RE TOO ABOVE ME TO EVER ACTUALLY HAVE A CIVILIZED CONVERSATION! SO THAT YOU AFTHOLE IS WHY I'M LEAKING! NOW LET ME DOWN SO THAT I CAN IGNORE YOU LIKE YOU SO OBVIOUSLY WANT ME TO!"

**:Sides come get me!:** I sobbed over the comm. link.

Immediately I got a response as Sunstreaker slowly lowered me to the ground. **:What happened? Did he say something stupid?:** I could hear his worry.

**:Yes! He pretty much said that everytime he has to speak to me he feels like he's doing something pointless! Then he said that I was leaking like a sparkling and he sneered at me! He's the one that made me cry in the first place!:**

As soon as my feet hit the ground I stalked off without a backwards glance feeling my tattered pride throbbing with each step. I knew that this would happen and yet I still put myself on the line only to be destroyed. Maybe I was being overly dramatic but it still hurt. Now I knew what Sam felt like being rejected all of the time. At least now he had Mikeala. Me I had nobody.

"Why?"

The hesitant question made me stop in my tracks. "Why what? And does any of it matter now?"

"Why do you like me? Only Sides actually cares about me."

Slowly I turned around to face him with tears still streaming down my cheeks. He looked like he always did, cold and aloof. Yet there was a less guarded look in his optics than usual. I sighed not knowing why what I thought mattered when he had crushed me already. "Because I just do. You may be an aft, no you really are a total aft." I said seriously when he gave me a scowl. "But there's a lot more to you than meets the eye Sunstreaker. You're mean and rude but I know it's just because you're awkward around others. And you're honest to a fault to the point that many consider it plain old rudeness but in my mind there are worse ways to be. You never lie to get what you want...and well you've been supportive with me if a little crude about how you encourage me sometimes. I also think that there's a soft side to you that most don't see or they don't look close enough to see. Like when you're with Sides you're so much more relaxed and you show your feelings easier. When the three of us have fun together we all have a blast like that day that we had the food fight in my kitchen!" A small smile struggled to try and lift at the corners of my lips at the memory. "I like your attitude even though you hurt my feelings sometimes and I don't always understand why. But it isn't like we can't get along either! We had fun together when we pranked Sides, or at least I had fun. And these last few days before I umm accidentally kissed you I had fun being around you. You're a handsome arrogant afthole with an ego larger than life itself but..." At this point I turned to stare at the dim desert landscape so that I didn't have to look at him.

"Well I like you anyways. Even if you don't like me at all. I just can't help it for some reason." Might as well come clean completely right? He was going to turn me down anyways no matter what I did. "And I...I liked it when I umm kissed you even if it was your holoform. It's just that I'd never kissed someone before so I was embarrassed, and I ran away and ignored you. So I guess in a way you have a reason to hate and dislike me. But I thought that you should know that I don't hate you even though you hurt me and made me cry. I don't think I could ever hate you."

A deadly quiet fell over us once the last word escaped my lips. He said nothing to me and I kept looking away so that I didn't have to look at him. The tears were still leaking from my eyes no matter how hard I tried to stop them.

Then I got the shock of a lifetime in the form of a surprisingly gentle caress on the side of my face. My head whipped around so fast that I almost headbutted Sunstreaker who's face was now very close to me.

He just stared at me silently, one digit coming up to caress my face again. Still he said nothing, just touched me with a gentleness that surprised me.

"Sunny?"

He still said nothing.

"Look if you're going to turn me down just do it please?"

Still nothing. He just kept up that soft caress.

"Umm Sunstreaker? Are you just going to stare at me?" And make my spark beat like a freaking bongo drum in my chest? He was so close to me...and it was making me itch to just press my lips against his metal ones just to see if they were as smooth as I thought they were. My tongue flicked out over my suddenly very dry lips seemingly without my consent. I noticed his optics shoot down to follow the movement and without any thought whatsoever I leaned up, placed my hands on his face, and pressed my lips over his metal ones.

The feel of his lips was firm yet soft and smooth, and so incredibly warm. If I had thought that an electric current had shot into me when I kissed him in holoform well it was nothing compared to the zap I got from him this time. It felt like my entire body was tingling magnificently...and when he actually pressed back I felt like I was flying! I had not expected him to respond at all.

And the sudden move from him had me snapping back and ducking my head shyly. My hand was shaky as I brought it up to run across my still tingling lips my tongue snaking out along the side to collect some of his metallic taste. It was surprisingly addictive to the pallet.

The shrill sound of a wolf whistle caused us both to whip around in the direction of the noise where unsurprisingly Sideswipe was standing there grinning like an idiot...and looking so handsome at the same time. I snapped my gaze down to the ground to hide my blush.

"And here I was expecting to have to drive a crying femme home after you hurt her feelings Sunny." He wiped away fake tears and gave his brother a mocking proud look. "I'm so proud of you bro!"

Sunstreaker growled at him. "Shut up Sideswipe. She kissed me."

So he didn't want me to? Then why did he kiss me back?

"I didn't see you push her away brother." Sides taunted him.

Before Sunstreaker could comment back I interrupted the building argument between them. "I'm sorry if you didn't want me to do that. I won't do it again."

His helm snapped down in my direction optics wide and frustrated. "What? No that's not what I meant! Primus fraggit everytime I say anything at all femmes always take it the wrong way!"

"Well how else could you have meant it?" I challenged him.

"I meant exactly what I said Clare!" He growled in frustration. "You were the one that felt that I was angry when I said it! I was merely telling the truth about what happened! So for the love of Primus stop assuming slag!"

My spark skipped a beat in what I deduced was hope. "So you aren't mad?"

He floundered a bit. "No. You're still annoying but..." He growled in frustration before suddenly scooping me up from the ground. As he stomped past Sideswipe he flipped him the bird. "Frag you Sides! And stop following me around!"

"I didn't! Clare commed me crying because you upset her so I came to pick her up and take her back home. Only now I guess I don't have to."

I blushed harder when Sides winked an optic at us. Sunstreaker carted me past and shifted to alt mode with me inside him before I could say anything to Sideswipe though. He said not one word to me as he took off leaving his twin behind.

"Umm where are we going? And what about your patrol?"

"Away from Sideswipe before he angers me to the point that I have to beat his aft. As for patrol he'll cover for me until I get back."

Ok so he didn't really answer the first part of that question. I figured that he wouldn't answer even if I asked again so I just sat quietly as he drove further away from the city. We reached a plateau a good ways away from the city that overlooked it from a distance. Once there Sunstreaker parked and let his systems idle.

His holoform appeared in the driver's seat in a flash startling me a bit since I hadn't expected it. I took in his dark wash jeans, black vans, and the tight black t-shirt he was wearing. When my eyes drifted back up they locked with his slightly lighter colored ones. He really was male perfection in any form.

"What exactly do you want from me Clare? I know what Sides told you, but I don't know what you want exactly."

I looked out the window at the night sky filled with twinkling stars. "Well I don't know. I've never done anything like this and well I have no experience with this type of situation. All I know is how I feel. It's what I'm going off of right now."

He didn't say anything for a long time. Not until I turned back towards him to find him watching me. He sighed in frustration looking like he was aggravated by something. "I've been here before but I'm still no good in these situations either. Like you said I'm an aft and I'm proud of it."

My lips twitched up in a small smile. "True. I doubt that you're as bad at it as I am. At least you've had a girlfriend before. Me? I've never even thought about having a boyfriend before all of this."

"Are you saying that you want that from me?"

I flushed insanely both from the intensity of the scrutiny he was giving me and from the question. I gathered my courage and forced myself to respond. "Only if you would consider it. I wouldn't blame you if you didn't want to...I am tiny compared to you. Not only that but I can be a real handful sometimes."

He grunted. "Obviously."

I leaned forward feeling a swell of irritation course through me. "Don't you obviously me Sunstreaker! You can be just as big of a pain in the aft as I can!"

His face morphed into a smug smirk. "I know that but apparently certain femmes think it's hot that I'm such an aft. Right baby?"

My spark stuttered when he called me baby sending blood and energon shooting straight to both my metal cheeks hiding under my skin, and into the fleshy skin covering it. "B-baby?" I stammered somewhat unintelligently cursing myself for sounding so stupid in front of him.

He frowned at me then reached over to pull my head over so that this time he could plant his lips on mine. I squeaked into the kiss we shared unsure of what exactly to do. I really wasn't lying when I said that I had no clue what to do in this situation. Well besides blushing and stammering like an idiot. Yeah that worked.

His warm lips melded to mine moving slowly to try and coax me to react. I did so clumsily trying to match his movements as best I could, but I was no experienced kisser. It made me nervous that I was disappointing him or something but he just kept gently moving his lips against mine sending that warmth seeping through me. It felt so good. But at the same time I really wished that I could do this with his real form. Of course I knew that I couldn't because he couldn't afford to reveal himself too much but it was still a nice thought.

The contact came screeching to a halt when a silky tongue glided over my bottom lip causing me to jolt back with an embarrassed squeal. I stared at him with my spark hammering away in my chest. Had he just tried to use tongue on me?

"Clare?"

"I-I'm sorry for jumping back like that...it's just that I'm not used to this yet. You startled me when you licked me like that." I tucked my bangs behind my ear nervously while he watched me. "Umm it still felt nice. I think that I actually like kissing the real you better though." As soon as the words were out of my mouth I ducked my head in embarrassment. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately.

The frame around me suddenly shifted, the seat AKA the servo I was being held on lifting as Sunstreaker changed to bi pedal mode. Thankfully we were far enough away from the city that I wasn't worried someone would see him. When he finally finished changing into his real form I really wouldn't have cared if anyone had. I wasn't sure where we stood, but what I did know was that I could stare at his gold finish and his smooth armor all day.

And I would have too if he hadn't lifted me to face level to press his large metal lips against my own soft ones. Some would probably think it awkward to be kissing a giant robotic male, his mouth was a good deal larger than mine, but it was able to meld surprisingly well to my own. And the sensations that it caused, the electric current that the contact sent screaming through me was amazing. I tried my best to follow his lead albeit clumsily as I was not used to kissing.

His lips, as firm as they were, were also so soft and smooth unlike what I would have expected if I had not felt them myself. He moved against me softly, not pushing too fast or hard for me. Sunstreaker spoke with this contact in a way that his words just never matched. His frustrations, sorrows, joys, affection, all of it being conveyed through action and not words. This was no different. I could sense a tentative happiness intermingled with annoyance and frustration. Truly it was an interesting combination but it was Sunstreaker of all bots, I had probably annoyed him severely before all of this. Now he was just trying to sort his emotions out. I wondered what exactly this kiss meant?

The need to breathe forced me to draw back first. "So umm does this mean that I'm not being rejected?"

I took it as a yes when he swiftly claimed my lips, speaking once again through actions and not words. This kiss was harsher if it were even possible for him to be forceful with me when I was so small, really though he moved much faster and harder against my lips. I had no chance of keeping up so I just tried to respond the best I could, hoping that it was ok for him.

It felt like a strong static charge was building inside of me, jolts of electricity shooting straight down from where we were connected to envelop me. And this time when his glossa slid across my bottom lip I tentatively opened my mouth so that it could snake inside. His entire glossa was almost as big as the inside of my mouth so it was a little challenging to accomadate him. Eventually I was able to position myself so that I could hesitantly brush my own tongue back against his glossa. He rumbled softly and I just blushed in embarrassment, still not entirely believing that I was technically making out with him.

But damn his glossa tasted like aluminum and spice with a slightly sweet tinge just like his lips only stronger. It was a weird combination but I guess since I was a bot I really enjoyed the strange flavor. I moaned softly before I could help myself, suddenly jerking myself away to bury my face against his cheek. I could not believe that I made that sound!

A deep rumble of a laugh escaped him. Well it was good to see that someone was finding amusement from my embarrassment! "Umm I need to get home soon I have school in the morning." I stammered without turning to look at him.

He didn't make any sort of rebuttal, only changed back to alt mode so that he could take me home. The drive was silent for which I was secretly grateful. I had a lot on my mind...like the thought of whether all of this meant that he was technically my boyfriend now. Should I ask?

My mouth kept falling open and snapping shut during the entire drive but no words would come out. I just could not voice my question. We arrived back at my house and I still had said nothing.

He opened his door to let me out only for me to hesitate. I paused in getting out to force myself to speak the words that were eating away at me. "Umm Sunstreaker? Does this mean we're umm boyfriend and girlfriend now?"

"Mechfriend and femmefriend are how our kind would refer to their partner." He murmured.

Well that didn't exactly answer whether that was what we were... "So do I call you my mechfriend now?"

He sighed. "Are you going to leak again if I say no?"

I frowned before actually getting out and starting towards the house without looking back. "No." I answered softly knowing that he could hear it. But I didn't turn back since I knew that if I did I would probably leak. He could hurt me and make me happy then hurt me again in astroseconds.

Right when I reached the door his voice froze me in my tracks. "Yes you can call me that."

My spark soared! I turned back to him with my lips spread in such a wide grin that it hurt! "Really?"

"Yes really!" He snapped irritably. "Now get inside and get some recharge baby!"

I couldn't help but to race over to him and lean down to kiss his hood while squealing softly under my breath. Something occurred to me while I was doing that and I pulled back contemplating something. "Umm I wonder if they have spousal car insurance for giant alien mechfriends that change into a sleek sexy sports car?"

He only sighed. "Femme..."

But I was too happy to really pay attention to it! I had thought that I honestly had more of a chance with Sideswipe who hadn't actually shown what I considered a genuine interest in me, over Sunstreaker who acted like he wanted to pretend that I didn't exist half the time. And here he was telling me that I could call him my mechfriend. My mechfriend!

Nothing could get me down right now!

* * *

**(Sunstreaker's POV)**

The turn of events that had transpired today still surprised me. When I had come out of recharge this morning I did not expect to have the femme confess to me due to Sideswipe's influence, nor did I expect to discover that the feelings I thought were solely Sideswipe's were actually some of my own too. It turns out that she had broken through my barriers and I had no actual idea when it had actually happened.

What I did know was that she had annoyed and forced her way into a place that no one besides Sideswipe had ever been before. Not even any of the femmes we had partnered up with on Cybertron. None of them had ever paid me half the attention that they had paid Sides outside the berth. Yet Clare was constantly worming her way into my space, making sure that she spent time with both of us. It was obvious to me that she was still a little more comfortable around Sides, but she made an effort. She didn't let my demeanor push her away, when I knew it could make others uncomfortable not that I cared.

Maybe Sides was right about her.

**(Of course I am!)** Speak of the devil and he shall pull in beside me. Which he just did. **(So when do I get to take her out and make her my femmefriend too?)**

For some reason I didn't like that idea so soon. Every other instance where we had dated a femme came to my processor. Each instance we had started dating them around the same time flashed through my optics, and each time even if I made an actual effort and opened myself up as much as I could they still flocked to Sides only wanting me in the berth. I didn't want that to happen with Clare. I wanted her for myself until I was sure that she wouldn't be the same as every other femme I had met. **(Sides...let me have some time with her first.)**

I felt his confusion. **(Why? Sunny we always share everything especially femmes.)**

**(Because I don't want to be tossed aside again!)** I snapped. **(Everytime we do it like this the femme decides that she only wants to be with you outside of the berth! Is it so much to ask that I get a little time to prove to Clare that I can be worth something outside of it? If you're in the picture right away she'll never see it!)**

**(Sunny that's not true. Clare is different than the other femmes. She's innocent and sweet, she cares about others too much to do that to anybot.)**

**(Please Sides...just a little time first. Besides we don't want to overwhelm her right?)**

**(...Fine. I'll let it slide just this once! But you better not keep me waiting forever because I want her too!)**

My engine revved angrily. **(Fine!)**

* * *

R&amp;R! So there you have it Sunny and Clare are taking their first steps into dating. I thought that making Sunny have somewhat of an inferiority complex when it came to actually dating femmes would be a good way to make him act. That and this way there can be some one on one time between him and Clare before Sideswipe gets involved.


	13. Chapter 13

So they're officially dating now! There are a lot of different ways I could have done that bit but I figured embarrassing both of them until they were forced to admit stuff that they couldn't take back was the best way lol. I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

Sunny left the next day and I had to make due with hanging out with Sideswipe which was still fun, and dealing with having the other bots come to watch over me when those two were gone. During the week Arcee had come to watch over me, then Ironhide, and even Chromia on the last day. So I didn't get to see him until the weekend.

I did however talk to him over the comm. link every day which was an interesting occurrence to say the least. Half the time he didn't really talk much, other times he got frustrated that I talked too much, and the rest of the time he dealt with being on the receiving end of my anger when he acted like an aft. So yeah interesting to say the least.

On a more positive note Bee and I had been hanging out a bit more while Sam was with Mikeala making out in his room. We watched movies, used the comm. link to talk, annoyed Ironhide and Sam, and listened to music. I could see him becoming like a big brother to me.

Another thing that happened was Uncle Ron ungrounding me! That meant that I was finally allowed to go and hang out with Mikeala after school on Thursday! I honestly hadn't known what to expect while hanging out with her but we ended up listening to music while she showed me how to fix cars. I found that I liked digging around in the engine of an old car! Of course she laughed when I had made a comment about liking fixing cars because I was technically a baby car. We had a hay day after that.

Other than that I had to deal with my opi questioning me over the bond about Trent, and what had happened with Sunstreaker and I. Apparently Sides had gone back to base and the first thing that he had done was announce our relationship to everyone and by that I meant everyone. Now everyone knew, thus the reason that I had not only been interrogated by my opi, but by Ironhide and Chromia as well. I could only imagine what they were putting Sunny through on base.

I got my answer that Friday when Chromia took me to the base. Sunstreaker was nowhere to be found at first, and no matter how hard I looked I could not find him. It was not until after my first servo to servo combat training with Chromia that I found him. Or more like he found me and snatched me up from behind making me squeak in surprise as we raced down the halls so fast that the colors blurred. Which is where I was right now in fact.

I found myself being carted into the twins' room and sat down on the metal couch. Sideswipe was strangely not present at the moment but if I knew Sunstreaker that was no coincidence. He sat down beside me quietly, putting a small amount of space between us.

He seemed to struggle with himself for a moment before speaking. "So how was...training with Chromia?"

I perked up, happy that he was making an effort at all. "Well...it was ok. She was a lot harder on me than I was hoping for but I guess it's to be expected. I still have a lot to learn, and not much time to really learn it." On top of a bunch of sore spots and forming bruises to show for her brutality. I kept that to myself though since I didn't want to whine and annoy him.

He only grunted in agreement.

So he wasn't exactly going to be more eloquent just because I was his femmefriend, not that I expected a huge change in him. At least he was sitting here trying to have a conversation with me. For Sunstreaker it was the effort and not necessarily the end results that mattered the most. It didn't really matter that it made things kind of awkward. "I umm looked for you when I got here but couldn't find you."

He didn't say anything.

The words, 'are you ok' almost left my mouth, but for some reason they cut off before I could utter them. For some reason I didn't know if he would react well to my inquiring to his wellbeing. So I didn't say anything to him. I just sat there next to his leg letting the silence encompass us. If quiet was what he wanted I could try my best to give it to him. Even if it was the opposite of how I normally acted.

The only thing I did do was scoot a bit closer to his leg seeking out the warmth he exuded. His optics shot down to me due to the movement but otherwise we both stayed silent.

I didn't want to push him, that much I was sure of. At least for now...that was saying nothing about when the silence got to me and made me do something stupid.

Close to ten minutes passed without a peep spoken between us. I was busy counting all the grooves in Sunstreaker's armor to entertain myself, and he was just alternating between staring ahead and watching me.

"You're never this quiet femme."

My head snapped up, counting forgotten momentarily. "Huh?"

He snorted. "I said you're never quiet for this long femme."

Oh I guess he was right. "Well you seemed like you wanted quiet, so I figured that I could be silent for once."

A deep frustrated sigh escaped him. "I don't really know how to react to you when you're not annoying me." He admitted quietly.

"So you want me to annoy you?"

His mouth snapped shut so fast I heard his denta crack together. Well how was that for an answer to my question? I giggled and climbed up onto his lap to sit against his abdominal plating. Turning a bit I sat so that I was able to look up at him without straining my neck, this position allowing me to see his frustrated scowl. "Relax Sunny, I promise not to intentionally annoy you right now."

He growled most likely because of the nickname. "Femme if Sideswipe can't call me than you can't either."

I pouted. "Sides calls you that either way! Besides you call me baby sometimes so why can't I give you a nickname?"

His servo came down to wrap around me as he scowled and snapped. "Because it's a sparkling name!" Aww he was so cute when he was cuddling me and getting angry at me for calling him Sunny!

If it hadn't been for the fact that he would get even more angry at me I probably would have squealed at just how cute it really was. But I didn't do that. "How about Streaker? Sure it technically is how earthlings refer to people who get naked and run through public places but it's better than being called Sunny right?" When he frowned I sighed. "One of those two...please?"

"Are you going to let it drop if I say nothing?" He challenged.

"Noooo." I giggled and rubbed my cheek against his plating before burying my face in it embarrassedly. Through the thick glossy plating I could feel the soft relaxed revving of his engine as it purred and I buried my face more into it causing the vibrations to tickle my face.

"Well I'd rather not be referred to with a nickname that is given to those humans who run around in their protoform in public."

I perked up pushing my blush down so that I could meet his optics. "So Sunny it is!"

He gave me an exasperated look but otherwise let it go. I was thankful for this because I really did like the nickname and would probably end up using it without even meaning to. Our optics met, him watching me as I held his gaze and pressed a shy kiss against his lower stomach plating. A blush rose to my cheeks for the millionth time since I had met him and Sideswipe causing me to finally break our gaze and look down at my lap bashfully.

One of his digits slipped beneath my chin and forced me to look up as another slipped around to cup me and lift me up towards his face. His optics locked with mine, digit still making me hold my gaze till finally he leaned in and kissed me.

His kiss was dominating and harsher than the others we had shared so far. I was sure that my lips would be swollen and bruised afterwards but I didn't let the thought or the subsequent embarrassment distract me from trying my best to kiss him back. Smooth warm metal moved languidly against my own soft warm lips causing that amazing electric current to zap straight through me. A soft moan vibrated through our connected mouths courtesy of me of course. Embarrassment welled up inside of me but when I let it get to me and tried to pull back he placed his palm on the back of my head and forced me to stay there.

And then the tempo and pace of his mouth increased almost angrily. His glossa slid from his metal lips and forced itself into my mouth to lap at my small tongue before I could stop it. I whimpered as warmth spread through my body like an inferno. My hands came up to splay across his cheeks as I tried desperately to keep up. But damn it felt good even if I was practically hyperventilating. Even my embarrassment was starting to ebb away under the rush of heat filling me.

I never expected him to be the type to just scoop me up when he wanted and kiss me senseless. But in hindsight I should have known because Sunstreaker did what he wanted when he wanted and at his own pace. Really I should have expected it from him in a relationship as well.

"Well well well look at what I found! Primus Sunny let poor little Clare breathe!" Sideswipe's voice boomed across the expanse of the almost silent room.

With an embarrassed shriek I tore myself away from Sunny and buried my face into his neck cables. One of his servos cupped me so that I wouldn't fall as he growled at his twin.

"Aren't you supposed to be on patrol right now?" Sunny practically hissed. The tension and frustration was practically radiating off of him in waves.

The couch was jostled when Sides threw himself onto it. "Nope! I lucked out and Arcee got stuck running patrol with Hide and Chromia. So I came to see what my favorite minibot, who happens to be dating my twin, was up to!"

Something chose that moment to poke me in the back making me squeak. "Sides stop it!" I whined into Sunny's neck cables. Primus this was so embarrassing that I couldn't even look at him!

There was a loud clang before Sides yelped. "What the frag was that for?!"

"Just shut your trap Sides!"

Hesitantly I peeked over at Sides to see him rubbing his helm with his optics still trained on me. I raised a brow at him and sat up more so that we could clearly see each other. His face morphed into a wide grin. "What is that look for?"

"Making out already huh?" He teased me.

"SIDES SHUT UP!" I cried out as my face broke out into yet another furious blush. "Gosh you're so embarrassing Sides!"

"Awww Clare!" He scooted closer to me and cooed at me softly. "And to think you got so embarrassed a few days ago when I forced you to wear that skimpy bikini. Now here you are swapping mouth lubricant with Sunny."

I stammered unitelligently for a moment. "Did you come here just to tease me?"

"No. I came here to tell you that Jazz is looking for you and can't find you because you blocked the bond...for good reason." He shot us both a mischievious look. "Anyways he wants you to report to the med bay asap."

For a moment I just stared at him contemplating whether he was being truthful before deciding that the best course of action was to actually ask opi directly. I located the link between Jazz and I and opened it. **[Opi?]**

Surprise and a sense of longing hit me. **[Ah've been tryin ta find ya all day sparklet! Where've ya been?]**

**[With Sunny. Sides did say that you needed to see me in the med bay. Do I need another processor upgrade?]**

**[No. Ratchet an' ah wanted ta run some other things by you. Where are ya? Ah'll come an' getcha.]**

**[In the twins room. I'll meet you halfway.]**

A feeling of disgruntlement hit me. **[Ah'right. Ah'll see ya in a klik or so.]**

**[OK.]** Dulling the bond down a bit I leaned up and patted Sunny's face plate to make him stop glaring at Sideswipe. His optics shot down to me curiously. "I need to go and meet opi. Can you sit me down please?"

He nodded and leaned forward on the couch to place me on the ground. His large servo lingered on my face in a gentle parting caress which I leaned into placing my small hand over his.

"Do you want me to come back afterwards? Or do you want to hang out with Sides alone?"

Sides butted in before Sunny could say anything. "We want you to come back of course! How are you and Sunny supposed to bond as a couple and partake in mouth action when you're apart?"

"SIDES!" We shouted at the same time. Said bot only grinned.

With a huff I hurriedly pulled back after nuzzling Sunny's palm briefly. "I'll comm. you after I'm done and if you want me to come back I will ok?"

"Ok..." He looked like he wanted to say something else but at Sides' knowing look thought better of it.

"Ok. I'll talk to you both later." Turning on my heel I left the room starting in the direction of the med bay. While I walked my thoughts kept drifting to Sunny, to us kissing. It made me giddy to think about. I started bouncing in time with each step, faintly humming under my breath.

Being with him was so much better than I had expected. He was gruff yet sweet, rough with his touches but at the same time he could be so gentle with me. It was amazing. Not even a week in and I was completely infatuated with him. A soft sigh escaped me.

"What'cha sighin for sparklet?"

I looked up at the approaching figure of my opi and ran towards him to jump into his arms. He knelt down and caught me before spinning me around making me laugh. When he finally stopped he raised an optic ridge over his visor. "I was just thinking about how different things have been lately."

"Wit' Sunny? Or in general."

"Both."

"Ahhh." He hummed as he carried me to the med bay. "Ah heard 'bout Sunny an' you datin. Not sure ho' ah feel 'bout mah sparklin datin right afta ah got ta bond wit' her."

I giggled at his protectiveness. "I would never forget about spending time with you opi. In fact I would spend more time with you if you weren't always so busy... Maybe I should go and badger Optimus to let us have a family day out on the town?" That idea sounded like a good one to me! And maybe I should try and get one for Sunny and I as well.

He smiled softly. "Maybay. Dunno if 'e woul' let meh take one no' since we're pretty short handed, but maybay after mo'e bots start comin in?"

"Maybe. Are more coming?"

"We haven' detected any'hing yet, but dere shoul' be mo'e comin in sometime. Hopefully sooner rather den latta." At that point we strolled into the med bay where Ratchet was waiting with what to be several data pads in his servos.

I just stared at him as Jazz hopped up onto a berth nearest to him, "Hi Ratchet! Did you get more stuff to make me read?"

He scowled at me. "No femme this is a different matter entirely."

Well that shut me up. I stared at him in confusion.

"Jazz and I decided that it was time to discuss several important matters with you, the first being potential modifications to your frame to aid you in various tasks. Now we know that you have an electromagnetic disruptor, which you appear to have been born with. However modifications like Jazz's electromagnetic manipulator can be integrated into a bot's frame. There are many different kinds that can be added, some of which require only a specialized processor upgrade, and others that require actual surgery to add certain key parts. Now modifications are not something that you need, however they can be exceedingly helpful in difficult situations. The main reason that we called you here was to discuss whether or not you would be interested in having any added."

I immediately started bouncing in Jazz's lap excitedly. "I can actually have more added? How many can I have?"

"Well the amount that can be implimented depends on several things, spark strength and size, frame size, and processor capacity. As you know a bot needs to have the processor capacity to utilize multiple things at once, as well as storing important programming pertaining to each mod. Frame size is important if you have modifications that are actually added to the frame such as Ironhide's cannons. Obviously if you were modified with cannons that size you would most likely harm yourself trying to fire them."

Obviously. "Ok so...wait I have skin and stuff too! Shouldn't there be a lot of mods that I can't use?"

"Your skin itself is a specialized modification." Ratchet informed me. "Think of it like a camoflague of sorts, only it can be taken off and reapplied at will. It was actually another reason that I wanted to bring you here so that we may teach you how to take your real bot form."

"Real bot form? I have one?" Why was I kind of scared to see what I looked like as a bot. What if I was ugly? What if I forgot how to turn back into my human form?

"Of course you do! You're a pretender type bot, thus your nanites can change their matter to form armor or skin depending on your needs."

OMG! "Why didn't anyone say something about that sooner?"

Ratchet raised an optic ridge at me. "Because I just finished getting around to taking a more in depth look at your scans now that I am not so busy. Before I was unsure whether you could change forms, now I am positive that you can."

"Is that the thing on my HUD that says TCOG sequences?" I asked curiously. In all honesty I had briefly seen those words and, not feeling brave enough to test it on my own had left it alone.

Both mechs gave me surprised looks. "Why yes that would be the one."

Cool! So if I pulled the TCOG sequence up...and randomly clicked one something cool should happen! Without even taking a moment to think about what would happen I pulled up the TCOG screen and chose something titled Transformation sequence one. What was the worst that could happen right?

The first thing I registered immediately after activating it was a blinding flash in my optics followed closely by the feeling of cold air instantaneously hitting every part of my body. Between one breath and the next a strong shock hit me followed by a warming sensation blocking out the cold air. It was kind of weird and that was that best way that I could describe it.

**[Wow...]**

I could feel the awe emanating from my adoptive opiluck, it prompted me to open my eyes only they made a small shuttering sound instead of silently opening. The first thing I saw were my hands, fingers now longer and pointed at the end with sharp silver claws for fingertips. I held them up in front of me and bent them curiously digging the clawed tips into my palm, but not enough to draw blood...er energon.

My eyes...optics drifted down further over the smooth silver, lighter than Jazz's own hue, plating. It was not protoform that much I knew from what Ratchet had made me read about Cybertronian anatomy. So that meant that it was armor, smooth and rounded plates covering me and curving in feminine places. My marks were present on my left side as usual, shining through from the protoform like they were seered into my actual armor. I wondered why that was.

I looked further down to my feet, peds, and they were similar to my hands...servos, claws at the end of each toe. They flexed when I wanted them to showing small breaks in the armor that were hardly noticable. Wow was right!

Something twitched on top of my helm causing me to reach up and cup whatever it was. My servos wrapped around sleek antennas that curved back over my helm causing them to twitch in my servos.

I pulled myself up hearing the faint and barely distinguishable sound of my hydraulic system hissing. Standing on my peds I looked at Ratchet excitedly. "Do I look ok? I wanna see a picture of myself!"

Ratchet's optics dimmed as he took a still photo and sent it to me.

The file pinged on my HUD. I hastily opened it and stared at the image of myself on the screen. No part of me looked really human besides my shape, and facial structure. I was a pristine silver accentuated by sleek curves just like I normally had only they seemed more distinguished this time, my markings stood out against the light color of my frame circling all the way up to the top of my helm. My face was made up of higher cheek bones though they weren't so sharp that they made me look like a witch, and my optics were almond shaped in the same color as my normal ones. Only they seemed to glow like the other bots.

"Whoa! This is so cool!" I squealed running in circles around the berth.

"Clare please settle down so that we may discuss any modifications that you may be interested in."

I stalled then flopped down on my aft instantly. "Okey dokey then!"

Jazz laughed at me while Ratchet sighed tiredly. "Ok Clare, Jazz and I have comprised a list of mods that would be useful for your size and build and compiled them in a data pad for you to look at." He handed it to me so that I could look at it.

Which I did with haste! My optics quickly scrolled down the screen over the various mods displayed there, warping which noted that I would need an actual extensive surgery to use so I discarded that one even if it sounded cool, electromagnetic manipulation which I was very interested in, electric solidification and manipulation which was another that I filed into the maybe pile, and a shit tone more. Those three were the only ones that really stood out though. "Electro hands!"

Jazz chuckled at me. "Dat's mah sparklet."

"Electromagnetic manipulation then?" Ratchet questioned.

"Yup...and maybe the electric solidification! If I can have both."

"It is best to do one at a time just to see how your systems handle it." Ratchet took the datapad back from me and sat it down on the desk. "For now I need to gather the necessary items for the procedure which will consist of me adding magnetic plating to your servos, as well as the programming to control the wavelengths."

"Can I have it in my peds too?"

"Perhaps. First let us work on your servos to see how it takes."

"Ok!" I chirped while poking at my armor distractedly.

He nodded.

"Ok so what else?"

The look on Ratchet's face suddenly turned to one of hesitation. "Well Clare...the second thing that I wished to discuss with you was...our intimate acts."

My jaw dropped. "WHAT?!" My optics shot towards the door before I leapt up to make a break for it. I didn't make it very far before being scooped up by Jazz and forced to sit down on the berth again. "NO RATCHET! YOU ALREADY TOLD ME ABOUT ROBO SEX!"

He scowled. "I only told you the basics of physical interfacing femme. I did not explain mating, sparking, or carrying."

"Sparking? What's that?" As soon as the words were out of my mouth I snapped it shut. IDIOT! WHY DID I EVEN ASK THAT?!

"Sparking is when two bots interface with their sparks. This works by opening the spark chamber and pressing sparks together, at which point they temporarily merge to stimulate the bot sexually. It feels every bit as good as interfacing, however more than just sexual pleasure comes from it. Two bots that wish to mate would spark with the intent to form the sparkbond before interfacing."

OMG! I shrunk back away from Ratchet fearfully.

"However you must love your partner deeply and have the desire to be sparkmates for the bond to establish itself."

I nodded weakly. Ok so this was not what I was expecting when I came to the med bay.

"Next we should broaden your knowledge on physical interfacing seeing as you now have a possible partner to partake in it with."

Damn you Sideswipe I cursed mentally! He had to go and tell everyone on base that Sunny and I were a thing and now I was being subjected to more robosex talk! Argh! I was so going to get him back for this later!

"Now I told you the basics of physical interfacing, what I did not tell you was the internal mechanics of it. Now as I have already informed you a mech has a spike, and a femme has a valve which the spike is inserted into. Now a femme's valve contains ports, and a mech's spike is comprised of cables that insert into both the external port and internal ports causing additional stimulation during interfacing."

"What?! Cables are going to be stuck in my girl bits? OH MY GOD!" THIS WAS SO DISTURBING!

He didn't even bother giving me an exasperated look for that comment. "Yes that is how it works. Now the cables plug into the internal and external ports causing additional stimulation. The valve produces an electrically conductive lubricant that also causes additional stimulation for both parties. The mech's central piston will move in time with the mech's thrusts to stimulate ports and cables during the coupling. A static charge is built up from the friction, and this is what causes an overload."

I shuddered which made my plates clack together obnoxiously. "Ok...Ok I understand."

"Sparking and physical interfacing are both required to form a completed sparkbond."

"Ok." I gulped which sounded weird in this form, like a far more pronounced squelching sound.

"Now two intended mates need to have a proper spark wavelength to one another to spark, thus this is also required to bond. You will know if another bot has a proper wavelength depending on how your sparks react to one another. If you feel your spark literally pull you towards another bot then it means you could have a proper spark wavelength."

"Will that happen right away?"

"No. You must spend enough time in another bot's presence to align your spark with their's. Then if there is a proper spark wavelength between the two sparks it can be felt."

"An' den da sparking an' interfacing comes afta. If ya wanna mate dat is." Jazz informed me helpfully.

I nodded carefully. "Ok so is that all I need to know?"

"No. You also need to know about carrying."

"But the Allspark is gone so I can't get sparked right? So why tell me about it if it can't ever happen?"

Ratchet scowled at me. "We may find a way to have sparklings some other way in the future so you do need to know! Especially since you are a carrier, thus carrying the sparklings is your job."

"Ok jeez I got it!" Gosh I guess we know who woke up on the wrong side of the bed! "Lay it on me Ratch!"

"Do not call me that." He growled. "As for creating sparklings there is more required to it than just contact with the Allspark. A carrier must be carrying the transfluid containing the genetic coding of a mech inside of them, then they must receive a proper spark charge from the Allspark to become sparked."

I furrowed my optics ridges in confusion. So you needed to have a mech's jizz in you then you had to go and get a proper spark charge from the Allspark to create a sparkling? Why didn't Primus or whatever just give them the ability to have the proper spark charge on their own? Cause now every Cybertronian in the universe was screwed if they ever wanted a family.

"After becoming sparked the carrier's spark and the spark of the sparkling are connected until the sparkling's spark is matured enough to split and sink into the gestation chamber. From there it will grow a protoform from the nanites and unused parts of its carrier. This process takes roughly two earth years, then the sparkling is birthed the same way that a human baby is born."

"Ok. So what happens if the carrier is really small compared to the mech? Would the sparkling be too big to be birthed normally?" The image of me knocked up and looking as big as a freaking bloated whale crossed my mind then. I cringed. Yeah how about no? I never wanted to get that big! That and it looked like it would be very painful.

Ratchet shook his helm. "No the size of the carrier dictates the size of the sparkling at birth. If the sparkling was too big the carrier's internal systems would be crushed during gestation, that and they would be too big for the carrier to see them through their emergence. So for you any sparklings you have would be very small so that you could birth them and carry them in your sparkling hold."

"Sparkling hold?"

"The sparkling hold is a special compartment in the chassis where sparklings can be carried safely. Mechs and femmes have a sparkling hold so that they can carry their sparklings."

"Ok. So what is Cybertronian pregnancy like?" Hopefully it wasn't like human pregnancy with all the puking and mood swings...

"Similar to human pregnancy."

I had to think that...

"A carrier would experience unease in the tanks, mood swings caused by strain on the internal systems in particular the emotional core, aches, and an increased need for interface with their mech partner."

Ok so exactly like human pregnancy. Good thing it would never happen to me.

"And that femme is what you need to know about interfacing, sparking, and carrying."

"So can I go now? I want to show Sides and Sunny my new form!"

Ratchet made a shooing motion. "Yes get out of my med bay! Next time you come to the base I will need to perform your procedure to add your desired modifications."

"Ok!"

Jazz lifted me up and toted me out of the med bay towards the living quarters. "Ya look really pretty in yo'r real form sparklet." He stated conversationally. "Betta den pretty actually."

My cheeks heated up in an other blus only this one was a pretty shade of blue not purple. "You're just saying that."

"Naw ah'm no'. Ah bet Sides an' Sunny will say da same t'ing too. Jus' wait an' see."

Well given Jazz and Ratchet's reactions I was a little scared of what the twins would think. But there was no escape for me when Jazz stopped in front of the twins door and opened it. "Hey twins! Wanna see some'hin cool?"

In a flash I was set on my peds just as both mechs turned in our direction. Both sets of optics widening when they landed on me. I waved shyly at them. "Ummm look at what I learned how to do!" I looked down at my peds distractedly. A soft push against my back almost made me stumble and fall. Instead I took several unwilling steps forward to keep myself from falling. "Opi!" I whipped around to yell at him only to find him gone. What the?!

**[Ah had ta go talk ta Optimus 'bout some'hin important. It may take a while so ah'll open da bond an' contact ya when ah'm ready ta come an' getcha.]**

**[Ok. Talk to you later.]** After that we dulled our bond down a bit.

Keeping my helm down I slowly inched towards the couch feeling their optics still watching my every move. I moved around to the front where their legs were so that I could tap on Sunny's leg to get him to lift me onto the couch. His servos wrapped around me gently lifting me up so that he could sit me between him and Sides. Ok this was kind of awkward since I was too embarrassed to say anything and they were too busy staring at me to say anything either.

My optics drifted up towards Sunny first finding him still staring at me just as intensely. My gaze slowly shifted to find Sides doing the same thing. I frowned suddenly feeling self conscious about myself. "Do I look weird or something?"

That seemed to snap them out of it. "No of course not." Sides hurried to reassure me. "You look...well you look..."

"Beautiful..." Sunny breathed finishing his twin's sentence for him.

I ducked my helm down fidgeting nervously in my seat. That may have been the nicest thing that Sunny had ever said to me and it just made my insides flutter like crazy. My spark especially sped up until it was hammering in my chassis. I clutched at my shapely chassis feeling the spark racing underneath.

It jumped when I felt myself being picked up and placed onto a gold lap. I made a soft cooing sound like a dove would make as I was situated so that I was propped up and facing Sides while Sunny cradled me with his left arm. He didn't seem afraid to touch me at all anymore, probably because I was now covered in metal as well and thus would not smudge his paint. Even so I was kind of surprised that he was being so cuddly when Sides was here when he seemed to not like being affectionate around others. Not that I was going to pull away from him and question it because he was being so cute and lovable.

Soft digits ran up and down my back as a husky growl shook both of our frames. I looked up catching heated optics watching me so intensely it made me shudder as a jolt of warmth shot straight through me. That was the first moment that I noticed that at some point Sides had vacated the room. I was confused for a moment but it was swiftly cut off when I was pulled into yet another forceful kiss.

I struggled to open my comm. link as my lips were massaged with bruising force. **:Sides where did you go?:**

**:I wanted to give you two some privacy so I'll see you later.:** He abruptly cut the link.

The tone of his voice seemed sad, frustrated even. It made me feel guilty that he thought he had to leave us so that we could do things without him. For once twin was supposed to always be included in what the other twin was doing. I know that Sunny was awkward around others so the reason for the action was clear. Still...I wish that he didn't have to do that. But since Sunny seemed to be the one to actually show his interest, Sides' flirting did not necessarily count since I had seen him flirt with Arcee and Flareup before, I guess Sunny was the only one that I would be with.

Not that it was a bad thing when he could make me feel like this with something as small as a kiss. Well to me it was still a big thing cause I wasn't used to kissing, but to him it was probably not that big of a thing.

He tilted my helm to the side and slipped his glossa past my lips to lap at mine. Blushing for what must have been the billionth time that day I hesitantly brushed mine back against his. His spicy metallic flavor burst across my own glossa forcing a shudder to race through me.

When one of his servos slid down to cup around my aft that was when I pulled away and looked down shyly. "Sunny I don't know ummm if I'm ok with being touched more than this yet." I admitted quietly as I pushed his servo away and leaned forward onto his chassis.

I expected some kind of argument or maybe teasing from him, instead he just cupped me and together we sat there quietly.

One thing that I was sure of...was that my spark was racing.

And I was more happy than I could ever remember being before.

* * *

**(Sunny's POV)**

Clare had left me a while ago to go to berth. Strangely enough I hadn't wanted her to leave but I knew that she wouldn't stay with me over night yet. My little femmefriend was shy and innocent, and most definitely not the kind of femme to jump into a berth with a mech. Normally the thought of having to wait to interface with a femme I wanted annoyed me, and it was annoying me a fair bit now. However I was trying to prove something to not just her, but to myself and Sides. That being that I could woo a femme outside of the berth, that I could form a relationship outside of interfacing.

Sides' comments about my behavior were annoying, the teasing about how I treated her compared to other femmes frustrated me. It made me question him over the bond about what he wanted me to do with her several times already. Did he want me to act as callous as I always did? Hadn't he practically challenged me to try and open up more outside of the berth?

And hadn't I at least proven that I could treat a femme decently? Sure it made me uncomfortable to show her affection around other bots, but Sides knew that I was a private mech. I liked to have my moments of intimacy without prying optics watching my every move. Not only that, I also did not want any other mechs that showed up in the future to see her innocence and think that they could move in on her. She was mine, and in the future she would be Sides' as well, she had been and would be from the moment that she opened herself up completely to me.

She was mine. And I did not share with anybot but Sides.

Speaking of my twin I had not forgotten the rush of longing that had struck me from Sides' part of the bond when I had taken Clare into my arms. It made a twinge of guilt hit my spark, almost making me question whether what I was doing was ok. But then the memories of everything that had happened with every femme we had ever been with came rushing back and my resolve was strengthened. I needed to do this to prove that I could. Sides would understand. He always did.

I decided to get up off of the couch where I had been sketching in sketchbook Clare had given me to go and find him.

As soon as I stepped out of the door however I ran into Jazz of all bots.

"Hey Sunny!"

I narrowed my optics contemplatively. Something seemed off to me about Jazz's demeanor. He seemed as happy and upbeat as he normally did, only his darker more menacing side was showing through uderneath that facade. "What?" I muttered gruffly.

He grinned darkly at me setting me somewhat on edge. Small Jazz may be, weak and unskilled he was not. "Ah jus' wanted ta give ya a word o' warnin' about mah sparklin."

I tensed. "What?!" As far as I was concerned Clare may be his sparkling, but what we did together was none of Jazz's concern. I sensed Sides coming up on us and stop a fair distance down the hall but still close enough to hear and see.

"Ah jus' wanted ta tell ya dat if ya do anythin' ta hurt mah sparklin ah will hunt ya down an' string ya up from da rafters..." He leaned in closer to me despite my much larger size and gave me a menacing look. "an' leave ya ta burn."

**(Oh slag!)** Sides gulped over the bond.** (I guess that will extend to me when I start pursuing her too.)**

I took a menacing step forward growling low in my chassis. "Try it Jazz."

"Give meh a reason ta." He shot back. "If ya 'urt mah sparklin ah will show ya jus' how serious ah am. Do no' test meh mech."

Sides stepped between us to shove me back when I tensed to strike out at the smaller silver mech. "Cool it guys! Allies don't attack each other."

"He's threatening me!" I snarled. Nobot threatened me and got away with it! Not even Jazz! And nobot challenged me over what I saw as mine!

"Ah'm Clare's opiluck! I's mah job ta threaten ya wit' bodily harm if ya hurt 'er!"

An incomprehensible snarl of pure rage escaped me as Sides held me back from attacking. "I may be an aft but I would never purposefully hurt a femme especially Clare!" As soon as the words were out I snapped my jaw shut with a sharp click. Why had I just said something that stupid?! Sure I knew that I would never attack or harm a femme for no reason but nobot else needed to know that! It made me look weak!

Jazz seemed to be weighing my words in his processor, visor tinted optics locked with me. "Good. Cause ah'm serious Sunstreaker! If ya hurt mah sparklin ah will hurt ya back."

Sides had to once again wrestle me back when I went to lunge at the saboteur when he turned to walk away from us. "Keep your aft outta my business Jazz!"

He paused and looked over his shoulder at me. "Clare is mah business. Ya woul' do best ta remember dat." With that he disappeared around the corner to return to his quarters.

"Calm down Sunny." Sides coaxed me back into the room. "Just relax! Jazz is just doing what creators do when their femmlings start dating!"

He threatened me! He threatened me! My alpha programming was set into overdrive and the only thing I could think of was the challenge against me. Sides had to forcefully move in from his side of our bond and calm me down before I did something stupid.

I was still pissed though.

"I know what can make you feel better..."

In no way was I in the mood for any of my brother's jokes or humor and I let him know this over our bond. With a frustrated growl I flopped down on my berth and started buffing out my finish to distract myself from what was angering me.

"Sunny...I heard about this human custom that's the same as what we do on Cybertron! Wanna hear about it?"

"No." I deadpanned irritably.

He ignored me completely. "It's called a date!" A wide grin spread across Sides' face as he hopped up onto his berth. "Its where a couple go out somewhere to do something fun!"

I sighed. "Are you trying to convince me to take Clare out on a date?" What part of not in the mood did my idiot twin not get?

"Yup! It'll be fun! You can take her out to a movie or something!"

That meant going out into a public place with other organics. So no I was not keen on that idea. "No."

"A picnic? I read somewhere that earth femmes like to go out and have picnics under the stars or something. It's supposed to be romantic."

"You sound ridiculous you mushy fragger."

"It's why you love me." He responded cheekily.

"No I'm forced to tolerate you." In an astrosecond Sides' fist slammed into my helm knocking me from the berth onto the floor. I snarled as I landed in a heap my polish rag forgotten on the floor next to me when I leapt up and tackled my twin off of his berth.

We rolled around on the floor until I was able to pin him underneath me. I slammed my fist into his helm eliciting a yelp from him. Primal satisfaction coursed through me.

"Date nig- OW!"

"Shut up Sides!"

Why the slag was I cursed with an idiot for a brother?

* * *

R&amp;R! So does anyone want to beta this story? Let me know either with a message or through reviews!


	14. Chapter 14

So I'm typing chapters in advance so this may change before I post this, but we're at almost 5000 views and we have over seventy reviews! I think that this story is taking better than any of my other stories so far and it's awesome! Keep reading and reviewing while I bust chapters out for you guys! Anyways I do not own TRANSFORMERS! A little bit of smut in this one! Readers have been warned!

* * *

**(Sunny's POV)**

I walked into the hangar after a long uneventful patrol with Flareup and Sides. The lack of con activity was starting to get to me making me restless. The peacefulness, no fighting or shedding energon. It drove me crazy after a while. Well maybe it was more accurate to say that the fact that cons were still out there hiding like cowards when I could be killing them was annoying me.

Oh well nothing could be done about it now. Maybe later Sides would spar with me to relieve some of the tension eating away at me. Until then I had plans to find Clare, and since her comm. was off that meant that she was training with Chromia and Ironhide. Thus the training room was my first destination.

Sides tagged along behind me to the training room where my audios clearly picked up the sound of grunts mixed with the sound of metal hitting metal. We stepped inside in time to see Clare go to sweep Chromia's uni-leg out from under her in a quick precise movement that surprised me. It missed when the blue femme leapt up over Clare's helm and attacked from behind once she had landed.

Clare ducked down and spun around to deliver a swift kick to Chromia's side barely grazing her when she dodged to the side. Then Clare was on the receiving end of a series of quick jabs. I noticed her antennas twitch as she ducked and weaved between them quickly.

**(Wow she's a lot better than I was expecting after only a few solar cycles of training.)**

As soon as Sides said that Chromia lashed out and finally managed to connect a rather forceful punch to Clare's midsection sending the smaller form of my femmefriend skidding across the floor. She used her clawed toes to keep herself from falling and slid down into a more defensive crouch. I had to admit that with time she would be a dangerous femme for her size.

"Ok Clare that's enough for today. Your evasive skill is good as is your reaction time, however you are hesitating to attack me. In battle you can't afford to do that."

No she couldn't afford to do that, she couldn't keep letting that innocence she exuded get in the way. If she continued somebot would get the better of her. She had to grow up and learn that fighting for us was not a choice, it was just life. One that she was born into and would grow up in.

"Ok."

"Next session is going to be different, I will not give you a choice to go on the defensive. You will attack me and I will defend. For now go and get some energon and I will see you tomorrow morning before you prepare to leave."

Clare perked up and bounded over to me as soon as she was dismissed. She was covered in dents and looked like she must be quite sore but she didn't let that stop her from attacking my leg in a hug. In her bot form she was over a foot taller than her human form so she actually came up half way to my upper thigh.

"Sore Clare?" Sides gave her a look of sympathy. Chromia was known for being a tough femme and an even tougher trainer, one who could kick the afts of mechs twice her size. A femme like Clare with no experience stood no chance of standing up to her. I had to say that I was proud that she was giving it her all despite getting her aft kicked repeatedly.

"A little." She admitted quietly. "But getting my aft kicked all day will do that huh?"

I leaned down and scooped her up to deposit her on my shoulder at the same time that Sides answered with a cheerful, "Yup!" We turned and started in the direction of the rec room to get all of us some energon.

Sides and I walked into the rec room where I sat Clare down on a table nearby and went to get us some energon. Sides sat with her and chatted about her progress until I came back and sat down next to them. "You were doing ok."

She sipped at her small cube with a snort. "No I wasn't. I got my aft kicked all day long. If that's ok I hate to see what bad is."

"Chromia is older than us even and possesses a lot of experience. She's an opponent that even I would not take lightly. All things considered you did alright seeing as how you didn't just stand there and take it. You kept moving though you hesitated to attack her, which is something that you really do need to work on baby. An enemy won't hesitate just because you will, and that means that you can't keep doing it." I lifted my own cube after I finished and took several large gulps from it as I let her contemplate that. I also did some contemplating of my own, but not about her fighting performance.

Instead I was thinking on what Sides had said last night about taking her out to do something. It was something that bots did on Cybertron even though it had been something that Sides had to drag me into. Now I found myself wanting to do it without prompting. The topic had been on my processor all day long much to Sides' amusement.

**(I still think you should do it.)** Sides prompted me. I could sense his amusement clearly. **(Femmes appreciate things like a nice romantic outting.)**

**(Mushy fragger.)** I muttered sourly. His point was clear though...whenever we had taken a femme out on Cybertron it had always ended up with her in our berth at the nights end. Sides had done most of the work during the dates though since it was not really my thing to coddle femmes with honeyed words and gentle touches. That was his thing.

But now I had a femme that was attentive to me outside the berth, whom went out of her way to spend time with me whenever she was able. The least I could do was something nice for her even if it was not my style. With Clare something told me that I would have to learn to do things outside of my comfort zone.

**(Atta mech!)** Sides crowed in amusement. **(Take her out to the pool we found...you know the one where you two kissed for the first time.)** He snickered over the bond, optics holding mine briefly from his peripherals. **(Pack some energon goodies, maybe some nice human snacks, and even some high grade. Set it all up on a nice little blanket...maybe take the skimpy bikini and try and coerce her into it...)**

My servo lashed out and connected with his helm at the last bit. I sent my irritation through our bond to let him know that I was not pleased with his joking right now. Not that the mental image of Clare's frame in that bikini was a bad one, quite the opposite really. She had a magnificent shape with perfect curves. I wonder what she looked like in her real protoform.

**(Soon we'll be able to see it for ourselves.)** Sides purred.

"You two are doing that weird thing where you move in sync and stuff."

We both snapped our gazes down to the small femme sitting atop the table with a now empty cube of energon sitting beside her. She laughed, the sound like a soft bell tinkling in my audios. For some reason I quite enjoyed the sound.

"Bonds are there for private communication baby."

"I know that!" She scooted closer to me until she was sitting between my servos. "But Sides is giving me that look that tells me he's up to something that involves me most likely. So therefore I'm curious to hear what's going on in his devious mind."

"Well I was trying to think of how to get you back in that skimpy bikini again in your human form. That or how to get you in your protoform like this." Sides interjected before I could.

Clare let out an embarrassed squeak at the same exact moment that my servo lashed out and smacked him upside the helm again. "Don't you know how to keep your trap shut?"

"Nope."

I shoved his helm down onto the table top and held him there to shut him up. While I was doing that I decided to take Sides' earlier advise, via comm. link of course so that he wouldn't know right away. **:Hey Clare I wanna do something later. Are you up for it? Just me and you.:**

She turned to me in surprise. **:Of course! When and where?:**

**:I'll come and get you around seven. Until then I have some things to take care of.:** Like getting everything around from the energon goodies, to whatever human food items she might like...as disgusting as they were.

**:Ok. I guess I'll go and bug Ironhide or Ratchet until then.:**

**:Just don't get belted with a wrench ok? Might be hard to go and do something if you're flattened right?:**

She stood on her peds with a soft laugh abundant amusement making her optics shine as she held her arms out for me to place her on the floor again. **:I'll try not to.:** With that she made her way out of the room hips swaying rythmically with each step. I could tell that it was definitely not a conscious movement.

But that little sashay she had combined with her beautiful silver finish definitely caught my optics. Not just mine either.

"You're so lucky that I love you Sunny." Sides groaned lustfully. "Funny, caring, gorgeous, and I can't even make a move until you get over your issues with femmes. Afthole."

"Sides...shut up." With that I left him to take care of some preparations for this date I had instigated. Hopefully Clare would find my efforts satisfactory, and if not well then I would be slagged that I wasted my time doing something for her in the first place.

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

After leaving Sunny and Sides behind I was unable to find Ironhide, and Ratchet had threatened me with bodily harm as soon as I set foot into his med bay. So I wandered for a bit until I ran into Arcee and Flareup, and having not spent much time with them yet I decided to talk to them for a bit.

Flareup I learned was loud, obnoxious, with a fiery temper to boot. She was fun and spontaneous just like me. I learned that she was a demolitions expert and she offered to teach me some things later if I wanted. Honestly I liked her, but I would like her more if Sides didn't always flirt with her. Or maybe if she didn't flirt back. Of course as soon as I thought that I felt bad because I had Sunny, and Sides didn't want me like that. If he did the three of us would be together instead of it just being Sunny and I. Then again there wasn't anything wrong with it just being us two excluding the fact that there was no real future for us without Sides in the mix, at least that was what I got from the data pad that I had read on different spark bonds. Split sparks shared a mate apparently, but maybe there were exceptions or something?

Anyways I tried not to let it bother me! Sunny and I were going to go out later and I was super excited for it! I would just make the best of it! Talking to the other femmes made it easy to at least push everything that I didn't want to think about away.

Arcee was sort of like a cross between Chromia and Flareup. She possessed a good sense of humor and liked to have fun, but she also could be really serious when she needed to be. I looked at her and thought immediately of an older sister figure, in truth I saw all three femmes like that. I wanted to be strong and sensual like them. Unfortunately I was a long way off from being competent enough to achieve that goal. But hey! There was still time to learn and hopefully accomplish it later!

They both offered to teach me things from extra marksman lessons with Arcee, to rigging small explosives with Flareup! Of course I immediately agreed to it since I was eager to learn!

When the subject of Sunny and I dating came up...I got to the point where I was not so eager anymore. They gave me knowing looks when I blushed and stammered an affirmative to their inquiry if it was true or not. And then I went and blabbed about my...well it was then that I realized that it was actually a date. Anyways it was at that moment that I blurted it out.

I got scared when their optics brightened gleefully before I was grabbed up and rushed to their berthroom. They shoved me into the center of the room and told me to stay still, which I hesitated to do. A few swift reprimands put an end to that as both of them took these small oval containers from their subspaces along with some polishing rags to use.

They smeared the stuff all over my frame buffering it in until my armor shone so brightly that light bounced off of every part of me. Then they went over the polish with wax to make it look more defined. I wasn't a big makeup girl as a human but being polished kind of felt good.

What I could have done without was the lengthy process it took to get every plate and crease in my armor. In total it literally took them a few hours and by the time they were finished I was supposed to be meeting Sunny. Only I don't recall where he wanted me to meet him.

"Ok Clare! You can handle this giant piece of fine mech metal!" Flareup pep talked me. "When you walk in front of him make sure to swing your hips a little more than normal, but not too much! He will stare trust me! And as soon as you have his attention own it!"

If I could I would have sweatdropped...but metal beings couldn't sweat as far as I knew. Instead I just nodded at her.

That was when Arcee decided to pipe in helpfully as well. "Do not try too hard Clare. Keep his interest but do not push too much. If he must look away merely give him a reason to look back. You look beautiful. Use this to your advantage, however do not let him push you into more than you are ready for. Tease him, but do not let him gain the upper hand."

Ok like I knew what that meant. "Umm ok."

"Good luck!" Flareup chirped before shoving me out of their berthroom. The door slammed behind me immediately afterwoods leaving me standing there confused and nervous.

**:Umm Sunny?:**

It took a moment for him to respond and when he did he sounded irritated. **:Where are you? I told you that I would be around to get you at this time!:**

Whoops! **:Umm I was with Arcee and Flareup. We kind of lost track of time. Where are you?:** I started in the direction of my room in the hopes that he was there.

**:Your room.:**

Good! **:Ok I'm coming to meet you.:** I cut the comm. link at the same moment that I rounded the corner to the corridor where my room was. And there he was standing just outside my door looking as frustrated and angry as ever.

His optics snapped over to me and widened as I approached him. His normally gruff expression fell just slightly into a look that just seemed so out of place on him. It was the first time I had really seen him look genuinely surprised. Like an anamoly had just fallen in front of him and he was desperately trying to figure it out.

I fidgeted nervously under the intense scrutiny deciding to break some of the tension by twirling playfully so that he could see everyt part of me. I desperately fought down the blush that wanted to break out across my cheeks again. "Arcee and Flareup decided that I needed a polish... Does it look ok?"

He grunted. "Yeah. Looks good."

"So where are we going?"

He strode forward scooping me up from the floor at the same moment that he shifted down to alt mode with me sitting in the passenger seat. "You'll see when we get there." He stated cryptically. Or gruffly more like, because he was kind of an aft even on a good day.

I sat in his seat contentedly as he drove through the base to escape through the front of the hangar. My optics watched the jungle fauna as we drove past, my servos gently caressing the seat I was sitting on. It registered to me that I was actually playing with his servo as well as inadvertantly letting him touch my aft in a roundabout way. Funny how I had done that several times before not really thinking much of it but now that I sat there and really realized it, well I definitely felt embarrassed about it.

The path we took was a familiar one, and with a start I realized that he was taking us back to the pool where we had gone swimming that day with Sides. A gasp left me when we pulled through the trees surrounding the small oasis.

As beautiful as it was in the day with the sun shining down on the flowers and crystal clear pool, it paled in comparison to how it looked at night. At least I thought that it was more spectacular. The moon shone down on the pool making it glow a soft pale white, little lightning bugs fluttered around illuminating the multicolored flowers around us. And there in the center just beside the pool was a blanket large enough for Sunny to sit on in his real form. Cubes of energon were stacked in the center next to a small black container, just opposite of that was several human food items that were obviously for me.

"Wow." I murmured in awe as he shifted to bi pedal mode and carried me over to the blanket where I was placed down in the center. He hesitated for a moment before taking a seat close enough to me that I was brushing against his large leg. I placed a servo on the gold plating to garner his attention, once I had it I met his optics with my own and offered him a timid smile. "Thank you Sunny it's really nice."

He nodded before quickly looking away so that he could get us some cubes of energon, a small one for me and a normal sized one for him. He was quiet as he sipped at his after handing mine to me.

A tangy smell rose up from the cube making me sniff at the contents curiously. I cocked my helm before taking a small sip of the darker colored energon. My optics widened at the sweet yet slightly bitter taste, and at the warmth that trailed the liquid down my throat all the way into my fuel tanks. It wasn't bad though. "What is this?"

"High grade."

"High grade?" I murmured as I sipped at it again.

"It's our form of alcohol."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth I almost spat my high grade out! He was out here trying to get me drunk?! Well I had two choices, I could put it down and refuse to drink it possibly offending him, or I could let loose and just drink it. After a moment of thinking about it I shrugged and took another big gulp of it. What Aunt Judy and Uncle Ron didn't know wouldn't hurt them.

Sunny finished his cube quickly, chugging it like a boss if I did say so myself. Something told me that he was a practiced drinker. Me? As soon as I finished my first cube I was feeling warm. Not drunk but warm. He offered me another one which I took and downed much faster than the first, while he grabbed the small black case and popped it open.

He sat the case between us so that I could clearly see the small pink hard candies inside, one of which he picked up and handed to me. I took it and popped it into my mouth gasping softly at the incredibly sweet taste of it. "Mmm this is good! What is it?"

"Energon candy." He popped one into his own mouth and chased it down with another cube of high grade.

I grabbed myself another cube and downed it quickly before stuffing another energon candy into my mouth. "You know you surprised me with this Sunny."

He raised an optic ridge at me as if to ask why.

I giggled feeling the high grade starting to get to me, but I grabbed another cube to start drinking anyways. Might as well get drunk and have fun instead of being too nervous to let loose. "Well you don't really seem like the type to do things like this. Not that it's a bad thing to be like that!" I hastily added in case what I said offended him. "It's just that dating seems like something that is more Sides' thing you know? But I'm still enjoying this even if it must be a little awkward for you. It's the small things you do that count the most."

Normally cold ocean blue optics softened ever so slightly as he scooted closer to me and scooped me up onto his lap. "I admit that it's not what I normally would do Clare..." He looked vaguely uncomfortable.

"That's ok. You're trying and that's all that matters. Besides we've only been dating for a week Sunny, most males wouldn't bother doing much at this stage. But you are doing something nice for me and I appreciate it. So don't feel weird or out of place with me. I want you to always feel as comfortable with me as I do with you." I ducked my helm down with a blush adorning my cheeks. What I said was completely truthful so I wasn't embarrassed about the majority of it, just what I had admitted to feeling around him. This relationship was something that I had to learn to be more open with, more adventurous with. It would be hard for me but I would try.

"Yeah."

His cryptic response made me laugh softly. "What is that supposed to mean? Yeah?" I looked up at him grinning madly. "Sunny the master of cryptic one word answers!" I teased him.

"I'm a master at a lot of things." He growled. It didn't sound threatening like the growls he had used when he was angry. It sent a shiver down my spinal struts.

A wicked glint came to his optics making me tense and scrambled away. Only as soon as I moved it was like a wave of vertigo hit me from the high grade I had consumed. I almost went tumbling off of his lap, would have if not for a quick servo catching me. He spun me around until I was laying flat on my back on his lap with him looming over me with a wicked smirk.

"I should have gotten weaker high grade for your first time drinking it huh baby?"

This was a completely new side to him. A darker diabolically playful side of him. And in my drunk mind all I could think was..._'damn you look hot.'_ It was the high grade talking I swear!

Then I was being lifted up towards his lips my body limp in his grasp, high grade zinging through my systems. It was doing something strange to my emotions and thoughts, sending a haze over my entire body. I was so damn hot! If I was in my human form I would probably have been sweating bullets!

Between one astrosecond and the next those smooth metal lips descended on mine roughly. He growled against me when I just sat there dumbly, the sound coercing me into kissing back. The high grade was getting to me making me feel fuzzy and heated as I kissed him back harder than I ever had before, my smaller lips pressing back sloppily. I didn't hesitate to open my mouth for him when his glossa brushed against my lower lip. It slid in to tangle with mine while I moaned softly and dug my claws into his neck cables.

With a thundering growl his attentions suddenly became more fierce, mouth forcing more and more from mine. Glossa forcefully lapping at mine faster than before. His servos slid down and grasped my aft squeezing it.

Through all of it I just panted, and gasped, my mind too fuzzy on high grade for me to care that things were moving farther than I was ready for. The touch only spurred me on in a way that I had never been enticed into before.

With a small growl of my own I tried forcing my way into his mouth to explore. He let me much to my surprise, and this time I swept my glossa over every part of his mouth that I could reach savoring the sweet taste of the high grade mixed with his own natural flavor. Some part of my mind registered his touches moving down my body while I was exploring.

It was only when something passed over my apex that the little Mary Sue bitch that was living inside of me came forth and slapped the shit out of me mentally. With a startled gasp I drew back. "Sunny don't do that please!"

He froze before drawing his servo back up to my lower back. "Not ready?"

"No I'm not. I just...that's a big step to take and I've never even been kissed before you. Of course I'm not ready to...you know. At least not yet! Just can I-can I have some time to get more used to this before we do more?"

He nodded and set me on the ground carefully. "Yeah. I should have known better than to push you too far."

I looked down at my lap. "It's just...as cliche as it sounds I want my first time to be with someone I love...and as much as I like you I don't love you yet. I do like you a lot and maybe in time it'll grow but for now I'm not comfortable enough with our relationship to do more. Please don't be mad at me."

"I'm not."

My helm whipped up so fast that my vision swam from the high grade I had consumed. "Really?" I asked hopefully.

"If I didn't mean it I wouldn't have said it." He grumbled.

"Thank you." I smiled at him.

He only nodded and handed me another cube of high grade along with some energon goodies. I noticed that he was eyeing the human food items he had brought with disdain and giggled. "They aren't that bad you know." Reaching over I plucked up a small pastry so that I could take a bite out of it. It was a chocolate filled pastry. I wondered where he got it from?

He snorted. "Not interested."

"Suit yourself." I shrugged before stuffing the rest of it into my mouth and chasing it down with the high grade. Hopefully I wouldn't be too wasted when I got back to base otherwise I would have to crash somewhere besides my room. Did not want opi to see me wasted.

* * *

**(Sunny's POV)**

Ok so maybe getting her over charged was not the smartest idea I had ever had. Because now I had to sneak an extremely over intoxicated femme past the human soldiers, on top of the other Autobots who were still awake. Normally this would not be so difficult because I could hide her in my arms, however Clare kept giggling at everything we passed, either that or she kept blabbing nonsensically about things I couldn't understand.

I could not take her back to Jazz's quarters like this so I bypassed them to take her to my room. Hopefully Sides would not mind having an overcharged femme staying the night. Knowing him he would have a great time antagonizing her to exacerbate her drunken antics. Slagging idiot.

Clare snorted out a laugh for no apparent reason right before I opened the door and crept into my room. Sides was awake and turned towards us at the sound mouth splitting into a grin when he realized that Clare was slagged a thousand different ways. "Clare seems like a fun drunk." He commented when Clare giggled madly and waved at him.

"HI SIDES! SUNNY GAVE ME THIS REALLY YUMMY STUFF TO DRINK AND UMMM WOW IT MADE ME WARM!" She giggled and rolled off of my servo when I sat down on the couch.

Sides reached out and caught her before she could fall over the edge. "Whoa there femme! If you're not careful you'll fall!" He sat her back up on the couch between us. "Primus Sunny how much did you give her?"

"Me? She was the one that kept drinking it!"

Clare hiccuped and shook her helm slowly. "N-No I didn'." She slurred drunkenly. Out of nowhere she busted into giggles again for no reason. "Th-that stuff wazz good...heekup! Su- he made me stop drinkin it cuz...cuz he said I had too much! Th-that's so not fair righ-right Sides?"

Sides grinned obviously enjoying the show she was putting on. "Nope that's not fair. How much did you have though Clare?"

She sat up looking confused for a moment before she started counting on her digits slowly...with a pout so cute even I had to admit it at least to myself. "Ummm one, two...uhhh six?"

"Not even close." I deadpanned with a smirk. Now that we were in the safety of Sides and my room I had to admit that her behavior was funny. She was a fun and happy drunk. "You had ten cubes."

She gasped. "Ten?! But that's like-like more then seven!"

Sides busted out laughing both at what she said and how shocked she looked while saying it. Even I chuckled at her. "Yes that is more than seven."

"You! W-why did you let me have more than seven?" She crawled back over to me with a sad looking pout. "Th-that's a lot!"

I shook my helm at her. "Yes it is. But ten is more than seven and that's how many cubes you drank."

She gave an affronted gasp and pointed at me accusingly making Sides laugh again, and forcing me to have to struggle to hold back my own laughter. "NO! Why did you let me think I had seven?"

"I didn't let you, you forgot how many you had. So I was just reminding you."

"Nuh uh!" She protested by shaking her helm quickly, only the movement sent her drunken self tumbling over onto Sides' leg. "Ouch! Gravity sucks! Have you ever seen Ted?" Before either of us could answer her she kept on talking without pausing. "Well it's a movie about a living teddy bear who is a freaking badass pothead...and him and his boy are scared of thunder so they sing the thunder song! It goes fuck you thunder you can suck my dick! I-I wanna sing that about gravity right now...but I don't have a dick. Do-do I tell gravity to suck my-my valve instead?"

Sides laughed so hard that he choked. "I-I don't think that's a good idea."

"Gravity doesn't have a mouth baby. It can't suck your valve."

She struggled to sit up so that she could point at me. "Yuh huh! Cuz everytime I fall onto my ass for no apparent reason it's...it's cuz gravity wants to suck my girl bits. Only it can't if I'm standing so it makes me fall! THAT'S THE REASON FOR THOSE RANDOM FALLING MOMENTS WHERE THERE'S NO LOGICAL REASON AS TO WHY YOU FALL! GRAVITY IS A PERVERT!"

There was no helping it...I burst out laughing. Now normally I was not the type of mech to do this, however the way she looked when she was ranting about gravity being a pervert was like somebot that had an epiphany that they truly did believe. She looked so sure of herself as she sat there swaying, the only thing keeping her propped up being Sides' leg.

Sides was laughing so hard that his systems were wheezing from the strain. "I don't think that's how it works Clare!" He gasped.

"Sides...hiccup! I have fallen enough timez ta know that...that gravity wants my girl bits-femme bits. Well besides Sunny...he wants them too."

"You're so over charged that it's unreal!"

"Waz that even mean?" Clare hiccuped. "What's an over charge? I want one!"

I smirked at her. "It's when our kind get drunk. And let me tell you that you are quite drunk baby."

She gasped dramatically and kicked at my leg. "I am not drunk! How dare you?!" Luckily her kick missed otherwise my paint would have damaged by those lethal little claws. "You're so mean Sunny!" A loud squeaky hiccup escaped her as her tanks churned and jumped from the high grade in them. And before the first had even completely died down she flew into a series of loud squeaks and clicks as her tanks repeatedly jumped. "No hiccyups!"

"Primus Sunny how strong was the stuff you gave her?" Sides snickered as he took pity on her and started rubbing her spinal relays to try and coax her tanks to settle.

"Well we only have our special grade so..."

Sides smirked. **(The sweet stuff or the strong tasting stuff?)**

**(The sweet stuff.)**

**(No wonder she's so slagged up.)** We both looked at Clare who was now trying to sing some strange human song between hiccups. I honestly could not understand what she was trying to say because of it but she wasn't letting the hiccups stop her.

She suddenly stopped and jumped to her peds. "Let'z play two truths an' one lie!"

"What's that?"

She turned to Sides with a bright goofy smile. "I's a game where we take three pieces of paper each, on two of them we have to write something about ourselves that iz true, one the last one we have ta write a lie. Then we put them in a container an' one person has to pull them all out and read them, then it's up ta everyone to try and decide who wrote whatever slip they pull!"

Sides instantly looked intrigued. "So it has to be two truths and one lie?"

"Yup! C'mon it'll be FUUUUNNNN!"

Sides and I shared a look before shrugging and nodding. What's the worst that could happen right?

Clare squealed and retrieved a pad of paper and some pencils to write on from somewhere... Don't ask me where because when I turned back from looking at Sides she had them. She handed us each three pieces along with a pencil to write with.

"Now you can' look when we write stuff down! Turn away from each other and don't look until everyone sayz they're done!"

Over the next klik or two we each wrote down something on our papers. I wondered why I was even willing to play a game like this but the more I thought about it the more I realized that it was because I was actually feeling amused and anxious to see what Clare would write down. This was a chance to get to know her a little bit more. Something told me that whatever she wrote down would either be highly amusing or just plain dumb.

"Ok I'm done!" Clare chirped.

"Me too. Are you done Sunny?"

I grunted out an affimative.

"Now fold the papers into little squares an' give em to me ta put in the box."

Folding the papers without accidentally tearing them in my servos was irritating but eventually I managed to get them folded into little squares and handed them to Clare. Sides did so as well, as did Clare. Afterwards she put all of the squares into a small box she had. Don't ask me where she got that either.

She handed it to me. "Sunny getz ta read!"

I scowled in irritation but said nothing else as I took the small box into my servos. Clare sat there watching me with a giddy expression when I reached in and pulled the first piece of paper out and opened it. As soon as I registered the words on it my optic ridge twitched. "I'm a femme."

Sides and I both looked to Clare when she pointed at Sides. "I's his."

I shook my helm. "Clare."

Sides laughed. "Clare."

Said femme threw her arms in the air. "How did you know?!"

"Because Sides and I are not femmes, nor would we write that we were as a lie." I deadpanned as I reached in and took another piece of paper. When I unfolded this one and read it I wanted to smack myself in the helm repeatedly. "I don't have a spike."

Clare held her servos up defensively. "That one iz not mine! I's Sides'!"

A trickle of amusement hit me through the twin bond causing me to look at Sides with an optic ridge raised. "Really? I don't have a spike? That's the best lie that you could come up with?"

"What if i's not a lie?" Clare argued.

This time I did smack myself in the face. "Clare he has a spike."

"Yup I do! And she said write a lie she didn't specify what kind of lie!" Sides was obviously enjoying this game, fragger was grinning as wide as I had ever seen him.

Idiots. With a small shake of my helm I reached in and grabbed another piece of paper to unfold. I read it...and immediately twitched. "I don't have a spike. You both wrote the same thing?!" I threw the piece down with a growl.

"That one waz mine!" Clare chirped.

"But it could have been mine." Sides commented with a laugh.

I shook from helm to ped in irritation. Just don't say anything...don't say anything at all. Clare is drunk, Sides is a moron... Just don't say a thing. I grabbed another piece of paper from the box and tore it open. This one was mine. "I hate stupid bots."

"Sunny that'z mean!" Clare admonished me before giggling drunkenly again. "You shouldn' talk about Sides like that!"

"Hey! Sunny loves me Clare!"

"I know! But he hatez it when you act stupid sometimes!" She argued.

I twitched again... "Ok you both got it right!" I grabbed another piece and opened it...and twitched again. Who the frag invented this game?! "I knew about this game and you didn't." With a frustrated growl I tossed the box onto the floor. "Ok that's enough of that game!"

**(Relax Sunny she's drunk! Drunk equates to being dumb.)**

Clare giggled drawing my attention back to where she was spinning around in circles. "Truth or dare! Truth or dare! Sides truth or dare?"

"What?"

"Pick one!" She plopped down and scooted over closer to my twin.

"Dare?"

A devious gleam flashed in those dark saphire blue optics. "I dare you ta paint yaself pink for an entire day!"

"What?!" Sides gasped in horror thoughts trapped on the thought of him being pink again.

"You have ta do it! I dared you to! It's truth or dare so if I dare you ta do something you have ta!"

"You heard her Sides get to painting yourself pink."

"Who's side are you on Sunny?"

"The side that gets you painted pink." I deadpanned making Clare laugh.

Sides grumbled as he got up and sat himself on the floor, where he retrieved several cans of pink paint from his subspace so that he could paint himself.

"It's your turn ta ask someone truth or dare Sides." Clare crawled over to me and pulled herself into my lap at the same moment that Sides perked up.

"My turn?" At Clare's nod he grinned. "Ok Clare truth or dare?"

"Dare."

If possible his grin widened even more but I could not tell what he was thinking. "Ok Clare I dare you to strip your armor off and stay that way for the rest of the game."

The femme in my lap gasped. "Pervert!"

"You have to do it! I dared you to!" Sides snickered.

Clare huffed and stood on shaky legs to tug at the armor on her stomach. "It won' come off!"

"You have to activate your armor catches to release them. Look at your HUD and it'll be right there on the front."

She stood there for a moment with her face scrunched in concentration before a soft click sounded as her armor fell to pool at her waist. Her soft shapely almost white protoform was instantly on display for my twin and I to look, and look we did from her long legs, defined hips and chassis, all the way to her slim petite shoulders and enticing neck. I wondered why she didn't seem to care that she was naked right now, but then I reasoned that she was over charged and not in her right state of processor.

What mech in his right state of processor would complain about the situation though? Certainly not my twin or I.

Clare plopped down on my thigh with a pout. "Why iz it so much cooler withou' that stuff on?"

My twin's optics were completely riveted on her, arousal coursing through our bond as he answered her in a breathy tone. "Because you're naked."

Her state was affecting me too, I just had better control over the spike straining beneath my sodpiece. "Don't you need to ask one of us to truth or dare now?"

She perked up and turned towards me fully giving me a nice view of her rather well endowed chest plates. "Sunny truth or dare?"

"Truth." I answered without taking my optics off of her chest.

"Ummm have you ever got drunk an' screwed someone soooo ugly tha' the next morning you woke up an' were like wha' the ever loving shit was I thinking when I screwed tha'?"

Sides choked out another laugh while I contemplated that question. It had actually happened to me several times since drunk mechs didn't really care much about who they took to their berth so long as it was somebot. I had woken up several times with some rather unsightly femmes, and even a time or two a mech. I was not a mech on mech type so the few times that I had woken up in protoform next to one had been a traumatizing experience. "Yes."

Sides caught my disguted look annd grinned. "Bad memories Sunny?" He teased.

"Shut up Sides you-" I was cut off when a sudden weight flopped against my stomach plates forcing me to look down at Clare who was now passed out on my lap. High grade must have gotten to her finally. Next time we had high grade I would have to make sure that she did not help herself to quite as much.

"Finally passed out?" Sides questioned.

"Yeah." I stood with her cradled in my arms and strode over to my berth to pull myself onto it. Once settled comfortably on my back I laid her small form down right beside me, so close that she was able to curl into my plating.

She was so small and fragile laying there curled into my side her white protoform gleaming in the light of the room. I had the urge to roll onto my side and hold her as she recharged but I refrained. I wasn't ready to make myself that vulnerable yet.

So I stayed laying on my back as I allowed my recharge protocols to start taking over. "Night Sides."

"Night Sunny." My twin responded quickly.

With that I allowed myself to be pulled into recharge.

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

My helm was throbbing horribly when I awoke the next time...I could not remember anything. I did not know where I was even. All I remembered was going out with Sunny to the oasis and then nothing.

Where was I? Despite the throbbing in my helm I forced my optics to open only to slam them shut with a whimper when the dim light in the room made me feel like someone had stabbed me in my processor.

It took me a few more tries with the same results before I was able to force my optics to stay open. I was immediately assaulted with the sight of a pink Sideswipe recharging on the berth in front of me. My jaw dropped. "WHY THE FRAG IS SIDES PINK?!" I practically yelled.

Whatever I was laying on was jostled when something jumped, something freaking big. The next thing I saw was a large gold servo slamming down beside me before pulling me in against what I assumed was Sunny's side.

"Wha?! What happened?" My mechfriend growled as he held me there forcibly, but not enough to hurt me. His engine was rumbling loudly in my audios which were dangerously close to him.

Sides jolted up at the same moment looking around as if someone was in the room and posed a threat.

His pink finish only made me choke out another laugh despite the way that my helm throbbed as a result of the sound. And throb it freaking did. "Sides why are you pink?"

Sides turned to me with a raised optic ridge. "You don't remember?"

"No. I don't remember anything."

He looked contemplative for a moment a devious smile overtaking his features after a klik or so. "Look down."

"Sides-" Sunny growled at him.

But I was quicker to look down to see what he was talking about and as soon as I did I freaked out.

"WHY THE FRAGGING HELL AM I NAKED?!"

* * *

Cliffhanger! R&amp;R! Oh and if anyone wants to beta I am still looking for one. If you're confused by the bad spelling and grammar in the last half it was because Clare was drunk. So yeah drunk Clare can't talk right lol. Oh and I want to bring in a cyber animal companion for Clare and I have an idea! All I will say is one word...BOB! If you know what I'm talking about well good on ya!


	15. Chapter 15

Author's note!

I just want to ask if any of you would like me to rewrite chapters thirteen and fourteen. I'm not sure if I'm completely happy with them so please let me know VIA review or message!

As always thanks for your support and I appreciate it!


	16. Chapter 16

Before I start I have one thing to say...BOB! Thumbs up to anyone who can figure out who that is! Anyways I do not own Transformers! To a guest review from yo- No Sunstreaker is not an OC, he is Sideswipe's twin. Hope this clears up any future confusion. Also I decided not to rewrite!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

My arms wrapped around my body shielding it from view. I was mortified. I was embarrassed. But on top of all of that I was NAKED! Why the slag was I naked?! What the pit happened last night?!

"D-Don't you dare look! Where-where is my armor?!" I stammered as I did some kind of weird armless backwards crawl towards the end of the berth. My optics shot around in every direction looking for my silver plates. I didn't see them anywhere.

Sides looked at me in amusement before pointing at the couch.

In a flash I was scrambling off the berth to run across the floor and hop onto the couch where my armor was laying discarded. I tugged it all to me and started snapping each plate into its proper spot. A million different scenarios ran through my mind about what could have happened. Did...did I interface with either of them? Did I do anything sexual at all with them? Oh my god what if I did?!

A furious blush sprung to my cheeks. "Please tell me that-that I didn't screw anyone!"

"Of course not. You and Sides decided to play truth or dare and he dared you to strip for the remainder of the game. But you passed out before it ended so I just let you recharge like that." Sunny informed me bluntly.

I whipped around and pointed an accusing finger at Sideswipe. "Y-you pervert! You better not have taken any pictures!"

"Nope I didn't. It was tempting but I didn't. And besides!" He gestured down at his pink finish. "You dared me to paint myself pink for an entire day so as far as I'm concerned payback is a glitch."

My jaw dropped some sound coming out that was like a mix between a squeak and an indignant squack. "So you got me naked just because I dared you to paint yourself pink?! What the freak Sides?!" Oh my helm was pounding so bad! I was embarrassed! And I had woken up naked with two mechs! Could this day get any worse?

"Yup!" Sides chirped happily. "I said that I was going to get you in your protoform sometime!"

Sunny reached out and smacked him over the helm. "We didn't do anything to you baby. The three of us just played truth or dare and some other game that you called two truths and one lie, and before we finished truth or dare you passed out. So I put you in my berth to recharge for the night."

Sunny looked straight at me as I looked him over closely to make sure that he was being truthful. He didn't look like he was lying to me. Plus Sunny wasn't the lying type. "Ok. Well damn my helm hurts." My aft met the hard surface of the couch while I rubbed at my helm slowly.

"It's called a hang over." Sides informed me helpfully.

Afthole. "Yeah well it's called the world busting my ass in my words."

"I got something that'll help you!" Sides hopped off of his berth and walked over to me with a small green gel capsule in his servo. He handed it to me to take. "It's a pain suppressor. Works good too."

I eyed it warily weighing the chances of it actually being what he said it was. After a moments deliberation I decided to just pop it into my mouth. Sides wouldn't be that mean to me when I was already feeling like crap.

It tasted bitter like a sour patch kid but without the sweet undertone. In other words it was freaking gross and bitter and nasty. "Cheese and freaking rice Sides this tastes like ass-aft!" I stuck my tongue out and coughed.

"Yeah they taste bad but they work. You're gonna need it to face Chromia in a little bit."

You know when you have those moments where you've completely forgotten about something and then it's like a bright blinding light shining down on you. Only instead of being relieved or inspired you're filled with dread? Yeah that's what I was feeling when Sides reminded me of that. "Damn."

"Damn is right. We should go and get you some energon before your lesson."

My lips pulled down into a frown as Sunny hopped up from his berth and scooped me up from the couch. He cradled me in one arm while we walked out the door of their room. Only as soon as we stepped outside we ran into my opi and he did not look happy.

"Hi opi." I murmured.

"Sparklet." He greeted me solemnly. "Where 'ave ya been? Ah was worried 'bout ya when ya didn' come back las' night. Ah couldn' even contact ya over da bond." I noticed that he was eyeing both twins warily.

"I was hanging out with the twins last night and it got pretty late so I crashed." It was a partial truth, just not the whole truth. I did technically hang out with them until I got so tired that I crashed...or passed out from being slag faced. Might be more convincing if I could prove it over the bond. But I was kind of scared to open it just in case he saw something that I didn't even remember.

He raised an optic ridge at us. "Ah kno' ya hung ou' wit' em. Ah checked da security cameras dis mornin' an' ah saw ya bein carried into da base by Sunny dere late las' night. Yo' were over charged."

I laughed nervously. "Ummm I plead the fifth."

All three bots looked at me curiously, not understanding the statement. "You plead the fifth of what? What does that mean?"

"I'm pretty much saying that it is my right not to speak. It's the fifth amendmant. So we say I plead the fifth when we don't want to admit that we did something stupid."

"So if I don't want to admit that I did something stupid all I have to say is I plead the fifth?" Sides grinned boyishly.

I smiled at him despite the situation. "Umm Sides you're an alien from another planet... I don't think that the amendmants apply to you. You weren't raised in America under the guidance and protection of them. So I don't think...well I mean you can and humans will probably know what you're talking about, but the bots will have no idea, well besides Sunny and opi. And do you think that Hide is going to let you off the hook just because you say that?"

He instantly deflated. "No probably not. It just sounded fun to say."

A soft laugh escaped me. Some days I just loved Sideswipe and his boisterous demeanor. "I guess you could try it and see what happens."

Opi and Sunny just looked between the two of us curiously, the former centered in on me almost exclusively after a moment. "Abou' ya bein over charged sparklet..."

I tensed in Sunny's arms. "Opi it was my fault."

He raised an optic ridge at me. "Oh? Ah ain' mad at ya mah spark. Ah'm jus' gonna ask dat ya at leas' tell meh when ya are gonna be ou' overnight. Yo'r mah responsability, mah sparklin' an' dat means dat ah 'ave a right ta know where ya are."

"Ok I will. Sorry."

"S'okay. Ah jus' get worried 'bout ya some'imes." Opi reached out and took me from Sunny who looked reluctant to hand me over before settling me against his chassis. His helm met mine in a gentle nuzzle that had me purring.

A throat clearing caught both of our attention. "I don't mean to break up the bonding moment but Clare needs to refuel and get to the training room or Chromia will turn her into scrap metal for being late." Sides informed us with a cheeky grin.

I bolted upright. "Oh snap! Yeah the last time I was late she beat the scrap outta me!"

"Goo' ole Mia..." Opi sighed quietly. "Well ah guess ya lucked ou' cause Mia had ta take care o' some las' klik business. So ah get ta train wit' ya today instead."

An excited trill escaped me. We actually got to spend time together doing something?!

**[Yea we do. Though ah t'ink dat we can find a mo'e family unit oriented activity ta do togetha. Ah guess trainin will 'ave ta do fo' now.]**

**[Are you gonna beat my aft all day long?]**

**[Nope. Ah won' baby ya, bu' ah won' go all ou' on ya eitha.]**

With me still locked securely against his chassis my opi turned and started for the rec room. Sides and Sunny trailed along behind him the former making silly faces at me. I giggled and stuck my tongue out at him spreading my lips with one clawed finger on each side. Sunny just looked between the two of us exasperated.

I was sat down on a table once we reached the rec room so that Sides and opi could go fetch energon for the four of us. Sunny sat down close to me giving me the perfect opportunity to scramble up onto his joined servos. He gave me a look which I responded to with an innocent look of my own. "So how bad of a drunk am I?" I asked conversationally. For some reason I had the mental image of myself naked and dancing the I'm sexy and I know it dance. Come to think of it...that was so Sunny's song! Sides would totally agree with me!

"I've seen a lot worse...like Bluestreak or Flareup. You just...laugh a lot, and chatter a lot. Sides certainly had a good time watching you stumble around spewing conspiracy theories about gravity wanting to lick your valve."

My jaw dropped. "WHAT?! I DID NOT SAY THAT!"

"Say what?" Sides plopped down besides Sunny.

"Don't say anything Sunny!" I threatened. Conspiracy theories about gravity licking my privates? REALLY?! Opi just sat down so please dont say anything!

"Wha'cha talkin 'bout sparklet?" Opi glanced between the three of us, Sides who was grinning, Sunny who was smirking, and me! I'm sure that I was looking beyond mortified at this point!

"Oh Clare was telling us that she thinks gravity-" Before Sides could finish his sentence I lunged up and kicked him in the lower part of his chassis. "OUCH! What was that for Clare?" He rubbed at his chest plates tenderly. A small pout was on his face.

"Shut it Sides or my little pony will pale in comparison to the next prank I hit you with!" I hissed.

Sunny snorted. "And if I say something?"

I turned to him and put my fists on my hips. "Don't test me Sunny!"

He smirked. "Bring it femme."

"Don't you dare!" I lunged at him but he caught me and pinned me down on the table, not with enough pressure to hurt me but still enough to hold me down. "SUNNY YOU JERK! DON'T YOU DARE!" My entire body was shaking with my desperate attempts to free myself.

"What is going on in here?"

Everyone looked to the door where Optimus was standing watching the situation with bemusement. "Optimus! Help the little person!" I pleaded.

He cocked his helm at me. "Little person? Do you mean to say little bot?"

Really? He wanted to give me a lesson on proper terms to use when referring to myself? I squealed and kicked as hard as I could in outrage. "YES I MEANT THAT! NOW PLEASE HELP THE LITTLE BOT!" Preferably before Sunny spilled all the embarrassing stuff I said in my drunken stupor last night!

"Sunstreaker is that really the way to be treating your femme?" Optimus scolded him sternly. There was still a hint of amusement in his blue optics though.

Sunny's smirk only broadened. "Only when she's misbehaving." Was he really showing emotion with other bots around?

"You are all getting so much enjoyment out of my situation aren't you?"

"Yup!" Sides grinned, and when Sunny moved his servo a little the red mech started poking my stomach plates making me giggle. His grin widened mischieviously as he started tickling me harder.

I giggled giving a vigorous series of kicks at the afflicting servos. "SIDES STOP IT!" A shuddering gasp rattled my vents forcibly intaking more air in preparation for another laughing spree.

"Maybay ya shou' give mah poor sparklin a break." My opi interjected calmly. "She does need ta refuel befo'e trainin today."

Both twins leered at me mischieviously, looking like they wanted to keep me there anyways. Finally Sunny relented and let me go allowing me to spring up to my peds where I promptly pointed at both twins, and Optimus. "I am so getting you back for this!"

Both twins grinned. "Bring it femme."

Optimus only shook his helm before taking a seat next to opi.

I ignored him so that I could glare at the twins. "I know where you recharge."

Sunny snorted. "We know where you recharge." He shot back.

"I'll stuff manure up your olfactory passage."

Their optics dimmed when they looked up the term to see what it was. Identical looks of horror passed through their optics when they found what they were looking for. "You wouldn't dare." Sunny hissed.

I narrowed my optics in challenge. "Oh I would buddy."

He leaned in close and growled low. I puffed my chassis up and growled back. Sides just looked between the two of us curiously. And then in a lightning fast movement I sprung up flicking my glossa from Sunny's chin to his olfactory passage AKA his nose. He reared back and swiped at his face at the same time that my peds his the table top again.

"Femme!"

Too quick for him to react I raced across the table and plopped down near the safety of opi. "Mech! See I can do it too!"

"She got you Sunny!"

"Shut up Sides!"

The twins started bickering with each other while I sipped at my energon and watched. Well I was certainly feeling better this morning! No more helmaches! No more being pinned to the table by my boy...mechfriend. I got out of training with Chromia. Yup today got a little bit better.

After a few kliks of watching the twins argue I managed to finish my energon off.

"Ya ready ta go sparklet?"

"Yup!"

"Good luck Clare."

"Thanks Optimus!" I chirped as I bounced by the Autobot leader. Opi picked me up once I reached the edge allowing me to climb up onto his shoulder. "Bye Sunny! Bye Sides!"

The mechs in question turned to me in surprise.

But opi exited the door before either could comment on my sudden departure. "So ho' are t'ings goin wit' Sunstreaker? He treatin ya righ'?" He asked once we were out of audio range of the rec room.

The symbolic meaning of the situation was not lost on me. How many times had I wondered if I would ever have a father questioning me about things of importance. Sure Uncle Ron had his moments where he would question me about school and stuff like that, but never had he or Aunt Judy taken much of an interest in whether I was interested in a boy or not. But opi cared enough to ask about it. "He treats me well."

"He betta."

"Overprotective much opi?" I giggled.

"Yo' betcha sparklet. Yo'r mah baby spark."

He nuzzled our helms together sending a wave of protectiveness and love through the bond. I returned it in full much to his amusement.

Unfortunately we reached the training room at that moment so I had to pull back so that he could sit me down on the floor. I stretched my arms over my helm feeling my back struts give a satisfying pop. I wondered how training with opi was going to go?

The bond dulled on his side as he led me to the center of the floormats. "Ok sweetlin' today we are gonna spar a bit. Mia tol' meh dat yo' are still hesitatin in yo'r attacks so today we are gonna work on dat. Until ah see some serious improvement in yo'r attacks ya can' leave. Ok?"

That little tidbit of information made me nervous. I didn't really like causing harm to my friends, or even people that I didn't like. I mean I had a temper and an aggressive streak but I wasn't really the type to actually hurt someone. On top of learning how to use certain movements during sparring this was where I was having the most problem. Actually attacking someone. Superficial hits against Chromia didn't count since I usually did not try to land a direct hit. "Ok." I shuffled nervously.

He dropped into a fighting stance, his size being almost twice mine was rather intimidating compared to Chromia. My nervousness spiked at the same time that I fell into my own crouch. I accessed my battle computer the way Chromia had instructed me.

The first time I had done so was overwhelming when the various battle formulations, combat protocols, individual fighting moves flashed across my HUD. It was only through several training sessions that it wasn't overwhelming me now.

Taking his lead I dulled down our bond and allowed my battle computer to calculate the best course of action against an opponent his size. He was built for speed and flexibility as was I, but his mass gave him an edge over me since I knew from what little I had seen that it did not tamper with his ability to move. My battle computer deduced that taking away that speed advantage by damaging the legs was my best course of action. His armor was not thick nor well protected at the seams so if I could take his legs out I had a chance.

He seemed content to just watch me patiently. As if whatever I chose to do would be fruitless. Maybe it would be. It still made me mad that it seemed like he was disregarding me as any real threat.

My systems heated up loosening my joints in preparation... I felt my peds twitch just before I decided on my course of action. With a small growl my body lurched forward with inhuman speed my ped swinging out at the sensitive knee joint.

He spun around me forcing me to spin and dodge a swift jab aimed for my face plates. I jumped back and he followed hot on my trail swinging at me left and right, forcing me to have to weave in between them to avoid being hit. It was overwhelming dodging so many attacks at one time each one coming closer to me than the last. Finally I ducked and rolled between his legs bringing myself up as fast as I could to kick out at his lower leg.

This attack landed my claws digging into the armor but only doing superficial damage.

"Ya need ta stop pullin yo'r punches an' kicks so much sparklet." Opi informed me mid way through a quick spin kick.

It almost hit me straight in the helm had I not ducked under it just in time.

"Ah kno' ya can hit harder den dat! So do it!"

His fist lashed out and knocked me back faster than I could respond to. I dug my claws into the ground to keep myself from falling down from the impact that sent me skidding a good distance away. My stomach armor throbbed from the hit. Damn.

He rushed me again so I lunged and then feinted left sweeping out as hard as I could at the leg landing the hit with the heel of my ped. It left a good sized dent and made him stumble a bit.

My battle computer instantly computed the action and deduced a swift follow up attack. Spinning around my servo claws sharpened like a cats claws would lashing out at the weakened armor and tearing into it. I ripped the plating but a swift kick sent me reeling again.

My peds left the ground this time ending when my back slammed into the ground. Ouch. Another dent to my stomach and some skid marks to add to the collection I was accumulating. I quickly sprung back up into a crouch so as not to leave myself vulnerable to attack. My vents were rattling with exertion already. Chromia and I never sparred this hard. Then again she was not my opi who I did not want to disappoint, nor did she ever say that I could not leave until I hurt her. That was pretty much what opi had said. Fight hard or you can't leave.

Well I didn't want to disappoint so I would fight hard.

With another low growl I tensed and lunged again...

* * *

My body was sore from helm to ped aching in places that I didn't know could ache. I lay on the cool cement floor panting from exertion while opi stood near my side grinning. He was barely even winded and here I was spent from only a few hours of sparring. "So...do I get a passing grade or do I fail?"

"Pass." He lowered a servo to help me to stand only letting go when he was sure that I could support my own weight.

My legs were shaking. My body burning all over. It was a good thing that he said that otherwise I would probably have raised a flag and flopped to the ground in defeat. "Good."

"Le's walk it off fo' a bit ok? Den ah gotta take ya ta da twins so dey can take ya 'ome."

"Ok. Wait both of them are coming? What happened to one at a time?"

"One is gonna patrol today as soon as Hide is done, den da otha is gonna patrol tomorro'."

Well that was convenient I guess. I didn't comment on that though during our trek back to the rec room. I needed to top off on energon or snacks. At this point I didn't care which.

"Prowler is gonna be prou' of ya when 'e gets 'ere." Opi commented cheerfully. It seemed like there was a hint of longing in both his voice and coursing through the bond though, along with a flash of a mech's face. He had red horns kind of like a bull. I couldn't see much else from the brief flash.

"Who's Prowler?"

"Mah sparkmate! Dat makes 'im yo'r otha creator. Ah'm sure he'll like ya when 'e gets 'ere."

I trilled curiously. "Mech on mech isn't frowned upon in Cybertronian culture?" Gays or homosexuals of any kind didn't bother me like it bothered the rest of society. I was only asking because it was something I was curious about.

"Naw. Bots can mate wit' whoeva dey wanna mate wit' an' nobot cares. We're allowed ta find love whereva we wanna an' i's all ok." He tilted his helm at me visor covered optics staring at me. "Ah heard dat some humans don' like dat kinda stuff. Why is dat?"

I shrugged. "Most just think it's weird to like the same gender in a sexual way. Me? I don't care either way about whether a guy likes guys, or a girl likes girls. Personally I've never understood why it's such a big deal to everyone else. As long as the person's happy does it matter who it's with?"

"Nope."

The loud sound of shouting echoed from the rec room growing louder the closer we got to it. It sounded like Sides. Probably him playing a video game or something. My speculation was quickly proven to be true when we stepped foot inside the room where he and Sunny were huddled in front of the only flatscreen tv on base. It looked like they were playing Soul Calibur 5, and Sides was getting his aft beaten by Sunny. "Ouch Sides you're getting your aft kicked!"

Said mech turned to regard me only to shout in outrage when Sunny took his distraction and pummeled his character into the dirt ending the fight. "What?! Sunny you slagging afthole that was so cheap! You can't even beat me when I'm paying attention!"

Sunny reached out to cuff Sides over the helm violently. "Shut it Sides! I was kicking your aft even before you got distracted!" My mechfriend turned towards me lips tilting down into a miniscule frown.

Sides took notice too. "Primus Jazz did you beat your sparkling hard enough?" He slid over to me and looked the both of us over closely. "Looks like she got you a couple times too though. You deserve it."

"She did get meh goo' a couple times. Ah t'ink dat Ratch needs ta 'ave a look at mah leg." He gestured down at where several cables were hanging out of the joint, which I had torn into a few times. Other than that he only had a few gashes here and there on top of some dented plating. I was rather proud of myself for the progress I had made, if not a little guilty for hurting him.

Sunny made his way over to kneel down next to where I was standing optics trained closely on the multiple dents covering my frame. He looked like he wanted to reach out and touch me but didn't. With so many others around I didn't expect him to.

I nuzzled his servo briefly, uncaring that Sides and my opi were watching. He attempted to press back discretely but from the looks we received from the other two I knew that they had noticed it. Sunny must have noticed it too because he snapped back like he had been burned. I didn't let the action bother me since I knew how he felt about PDA.

Neither Sides nor opi commented on it either.

**[Well sparklet Boss Bot needs meh fo' some'hin so ah gotta get goin. Ah t'ink dat ah'm comin ta watch over ya afta da twins leave. T'ink yo' can get on wi'out meh fo' dat long?]**

I gave him a fake pout. **[Yes. I wish you could come more often though.]**

**[Ah do too. Maybay afta ou' numbers increase a bit da Boss Bot will le' meh come 'round mo'e often.]**

**[Maybe. Until then can we at least talk a bit more?]**

**[As often as ah can.]** He promised me.

We shared a quick hug before he turned and left me with Sides and Sunny. The bond pulsed once with a quick wave of reassurance and affection then went quiet. Silence engulfed me sending a pang of loneliness through me. Everytime he blocked me out I missed his presence.

My shoulders slumped slightly as hard as I tried to concentrate on something else to make me feel better. The more I got used to the bond the more the silence got to me everytime our mental link was blocked. I tried not to let it bother me as I trudged over to the dispenser and hopped up onto the counter to fill one of the small energon cubes that Ratchet had started fashioning for me. For some reason energon didn't really sound good right now. What I really wanted was some sunkist or something. Guess I'd have to settle for energon until I got home.

Sides, Sunny, and I took a seat on the couch while I topped off on my energon and rested my weary body. My protoform was aching from the harsh strikes that I had been subjected to earlier. The sensation only served to make me more irritable.

Both twins sat there quietly watching me refuel until I finished. "Sunny and I can fix your armor before we take you home." Sides offered.

"Won't my nanites do that on their own?" I mumbled without looking at him.

"Well yeah but it's less work for them if you have your armor repaired by somebot else."

My first response was to grunt at him. "Do I have to get naked again so that you can fix it?"

"We'll give you something to cover yourself with." He offered.

Well that answered my question... I wasn't keen on stripping naked in front of them for a second time in twenty four hours... But if it was easier on my body, and so long as I was covered I would do it. "Ok let's do it. Just don't peek."

Sunny rolled his optics at me. "We already saw you naked. What's the big deal?"

"Because I'm not wasted now!"

"Alright alright. We'll be gentlemechs."

I nodded once and clambered up onto Sunny's shoulder where I got comfortable for the duration of our trek back to their room. Sides chattered with me a fair bit while we walked his cheerful mood brightening my spirits by just the slightest amount. He had a demeanor that made it hard to stay angry or irritated around him.

Sunny just walked quietly listening to the chit chat we exchanged with an impassive expression. He stayed like that until we entered their room.

Upon entering he sat me on the berth, and after Sides handed me a sheet to cover myself with ordered me to strip my armor off. I gave them both a raised optic ridge to let them know that I was not stripping with them watching me. Sunny turned without a complaint after giving me an exasperated look. Sides was a whole other story. He pouted at me, like really pouted in what looked to be a ploy to get me to let him watch me. I only shook my helm and pointed at the opposite wall.

He turned away with a small whine of displeasure. While they were facing away I stripped my armor in a hurry before tugging the sheet around my shoulders. "Ok I'm done."

Both mechs turned back towards me raising identical optic ridges at me when they saw that I literally had every inch of my metal protoform covered by the sheet. Neither said anything much to my relief. Instead they opted to grab my armor and several small tools from their subspaces to work on it.

By work I meant that they literally just beat the dents out and smoothed them over. It wasn't a particularly long process either.

Sides did attempt to make some small talk with me while he worked. "So Clare what do you want to do when we take you home? We should have a little while until the other bots on patrol get done."

"Another movie night?" I suggested.

Sides shook his helm. "Let's do something else! How about we all go out and do something?"

Sunny looked aggravated by the suggestion but otherwise stayed silent. What was that all about? "Like what?"

"Dunno. How about we go to one of those theaters and see a movie?"

"If Sunny doesn't mind going we can. Do you have any idea what's playing right now?"

"Nope."

Well that was helpful. Only Sides. "Well we can figure something out when we get there. There has to be something worth watching right?"

Sides perked up mid strike on my abdominal armor. "I want to pick what we watch!"

Sunny frowned. "Whenever you demand to be allowed to pick something that we do something stupid happens."

"Sunny that's not-well it seems to be true but jeez! You don't have to be so mean to him!" I admonished him.

"Yeah Sunny you don't have to be so mean to me!" Sides agreed. More for the sake of angering Sunny than actually agreeing with me.

And just like the comment was meant to it caused Sunny to pause in smoothing out several large dents in my knee plate so that he could glare at us. Sides hastily pointed a digit at me as if to say _'she did it.'_

"Don't you point at me Sideswipe! You're the one that's antagonizing him!"

"You're the one that said it first!"

"Yeah but you only agreed because you knew it would piss him off!"

"You only said it because you wanted to piss him off!" Sides shot back.

"How about both of you shut it!" Sunny snapped between one astrosecond and the next. "Primus you two behave like sparklings!"

"Hey!" Sides and I protested simultaneously. We turned towards each other in a flash, me pointing a finger at him. "Jinx you owe me a soda!"

Both mechs looked confused. Ah pit not another explanation on Earth phrases... "What does that mean?" Sides asked curiously.

Could they like read my thoughts or something cause everytime I didn't want them to ask me about something they had to do it anyways. Almost like they just knew that I was hoping that they did not. But of course they always had to anyways. With a sigh I did my best to explain it. "Well Sides and I said the exact same thing at the same time, so the phrase that I used is something that someone would say...well it's like a game. Whoever says it first wins! But you can only say it when the other person says the exact same thing as you at the exact same time. Like a timing game. Yeah a timing game."

"So do I have to get you a so-da?" Sides cocked his helm at me.

I snickered at the way he pronounced soda. "If you want! It's mostly just an expression Sides."

Both mechs seemed like they didn't know what to think about that. "Humans are strange." They murmured at the same time.

Sides turned to Sunny in a lightning fast move and pointed at him. "Jinx you owe me a so-da!"

I laughed when Sunny just growled and smacked his twin. "Idiot you can't even have soda! And why do you keep saying it like that anyways?!"

Sides pouted. "It sounds funnier this way."

"Idiot..."

I giggled at the two of them. Hopefully the little movie outting that Sides wanted to go on would ease some of the bickering. It wasn't like it was possible to screw up a movie night right?

* * *

Four hours later and I was being proven wrong. Sides had picked the new Spongebob movie because he wanted to know what a Spongebob was. When I explained that it was just a cartoon character he then wanted to know what a cartoon was. So Sunny and I were dragged into an empty movie theater and forced to sit through Spongebob Sponge out of water.

Or at least as much as Sunny had been able to stand before he had jumped to his feet and took a menacing step towards the movie screen. I had to latch onto his arm and drag him back into his seat before he did something damaging to the theater's property.

Sides looked happy at least. He was hardly paying us any mind in fact as he sang along with the movie like it was no one's business. Optics competely riveted on the screen. Body posture relaxed.

The complete opposite of his twin who was tensed and glaring at the screen like he just wanted to kill it. It was surprising that he was still sitting here watching the movie an hour in. I kind of felt sorry for him cause he was obviously hating every moment that he spent sitting through it.

Maybe I could...do something to take his attention off of it? As soon as the idea of sucking his face to distract him came to mind I blushed and looked down at my lap. What was even going on in my mind lately?

It might actually work though I reasoned. But I had only instigated a kiss once...and the rest had been all him. What if he didn't want me to kiss him with Sides sitting beside us? Worse...what if he pushed me away?

I nervously licked my lips to wet them not realizing that the action caught his attention. I was too busy warring with myself to notice it when he moved his face in close to mine. When I did look up and notice how close he was my tanks did that crazy fluttering thing again. My spark sped up increasing both blood and energon flow until both rushed to my cheeks staining them a bright purple.

My sparkbeat was thundering in my audios head tilting back in a barely conscious movement... And then I swallowed my nervousness and leaned in to press my lips against his. As much as I tried to get a handle on it I was still shaking, fearing that he would push me away as I started moving slowly.

There was no response from him.

A pang of regret and sorrow hit me pretty hard in response to his lack of a reaction. Maybe I just wasn't a good kisser?

Just when I was about to pull away he finally moved to clamp his hands down on my upper shouders holding me in place. A muffled squeak escaped me when he jerked me forward until my chest smacked into his roughly, one hand tilting my head to the side so that he could kiss me senseless.

It was a kiss of frustration and anger, rough and demanding just like him. I had no hope of ever keeping up. He just forced his lips over mine hard and fast, holoform tongue forcing itself into my mouth. All I could do was follow along clumsily fumbling to keep up.

His hands fisted my hair and tugged at it in what was most likely anger. The small pain was nothing to me, though it did make me whimper. I wasn't sure whether it was because I liked it or because he was being rough with me. What I did know was that his tongue was everywhere in my mouth, licking my every crevice, at times almost sliding down my throat.

My own hands flew up his hair digging into his scalp. By this point I didn't even care that Sides was sitting beside me, most likely watching us. If he even noticed over the movie of course. A burning in my chest had me pulling back to pull in a large gulp of air, and then his mouth was back on mine. What...it was like he was trying to eat me! His tongue surged back into my mouth making me moan. Something wet dribbled down between our chins.

The world around me shifted in a lightning fast move that ended up with me sitting in Sunny's lap my legs on either side of his. One of his hands slid down to my right thigh and rubbed it. I immediately stiffened with uncertainty hands coming down to rest on his shoulders. He kept kissing me anyways despite me slowing down.

"Relax...I'm not going to do anything you don't want me to." He pulled away to mumble.

"I know. It's just that...I don't even know if I'm doing ok. I've never...and I don't think I can...you know?" I was rambling and none of it made sense. I was nervous, scared, unsure, anxious.

"You're doing fine stop worrying." It was more of a demand than anything. His eyes were heated and smoldering chest rising and falling faster than normal. He surged forward and took my lips again faster than I could react to.

His hands slid down touching my curves sending tingles through me as we kissed. Both of them locked over my aft and pulled me forward.

Something hard slid over my core sending a sensation akin to a surge of...well it almost felt like intense static electricity. Only it wasn't only inside of me...sparks danced along my skin making me gasp.

He released a rumbling growl and forced me to move over the bulge again. Only this time sparks danced across his skin.

"Oooh somebot is getting a little frisky!"

I froze briefly before scrambling off of Sunny's lap with a startled squeak. "SIDES!"

Sides only laughed. "You two have been all over each other for over a half hour now! When you started sparking I figured it was time to tell you to cool it down a bit... Not that seeing you two ravage each other would bother me." He grinned cheekily at us.

My entire face was burning bright purple like a freaking eggplant! He had to go and say that didn't he?! "Sides! Don't say stuff like that! And why were you watching anyways?!"

"Well when you started glowing it kind of distracted me from the movie."

Glowing? My eyes shot down to my left side where my marks were glowing through the material of my long sleeved black shirt and even my jeans! "Wha-what?! How am I supposed to leave the movie theater when I'm glowing?!" I started beating at my arm to try and make it stop. "Stop it! I'm not a glow in the dark sticker!"

Sides completely ignored my flailing instead leaning over his seat so that he was as close as possible to me. "And when I saw you straddling Sunny, well the movie wasn't so interesting anymore. So how was it?"

"How was what? Stop! Stop!" Oh my god it wasn't stopping!

"Feeling the sparks of love!"

Sunny just glared at him.

Me? I just turned towards him slowly. "Really? Sparks of love? Really Sides?"

He grinned and nodded excitedly. "Sparks were jumping all over both of you! You must have reeeaaallly like it."

"So everytime I get off I'm going to have sparks shooting all over me?"

"Yup. Well when you actually overload it'll be a lot worse than that." Sides informed me with another cheeky grin. Bastard was obviously enjoying this.

I grabbed my popcorn container and whipped it at him to get him to shut up. "Sides! Aggh my poor virgin ears!" My marks had stopped glowing by now so I stood and marched down the stairs to exit the theater.

Sides' laugh echoed signalling that he and Sunny were following me. I didn't turn around to face them though. Just kept looking straight ahead.

A large arm slung itself around my shoulders red hair tickling my cheek. I glared at Sides.

"C'mon Clare! You're dating my brother that means I get to tease you two."

I elbowed him in the stomach. "Well when you get a girlfriend...er femmefriend I get to tease you!"

He looked back over his shoulder at Sunny for some reason. After another moment he turned back to me with a boyish grin. "Oh I don't think you'll want to when it does happen."

What the heck was that supposed to mean?

Before I could question it we exited the cinema. Sunny came up beside us and tugged me away from Sides. "I have patrol first so Sides will take you home."

"Ok. Be safe."

We were in public so he gently touched my cheek as a way of saying goodbye before he turned and strode over to his alt mode.

Sides and I were left there after he revved his engine and drove away. "Well let's get you home so that you can get ready for school tomorrow."

I didn't protest Sides' actions when he dragged me over to his alt mode and helped me into it. The seatbelt snaked over my chest as his holoform came around to the driver's side and got in. "You know what's not fair Sides?"

"What?"

"You guys can turn into cars and I can't. I wish I could be a Lamborghini. That'd be so cool."

"Wanna drive?"

All of my earlier disturbing thoughts fled my mind. "Really?!" I squealed and practically jumped into the driver's seat without even giving his holoform time to disperse.

Sides chuckled. "As long as you promise not to damage me." He whispered in my ear making me shiver.

"Would-I ever do something like that?" I stammered.

He chuckled before dispersing into nothing. Well that was a weird answer. Of course as soon as Sides let his engine roar I forgot all about everything. A soft moan escaped me as I ghosted my hands over the steering wheel. This only made him laugh harder.

"Hey don't laugh at me for having aspirations to drive a Lambo in my life!"

"I would never do that."

I huffed before switching him into gear...which was a weird way to word it. It kind of made me sound like a car freak that named their car or talked to it. Anyways I shook those thoughts off and pulled out of the parking spot.

People gawked when we drove by some even snapped pictures. Sides' ego was literally being inflated from the attention I could freaking feel it. He even revved his engine loudly near a group of teenage girls making them swoon. "Sides! Only the driver can rev the engine!" I joked.

"It's my engine."

"Touche. But I am driving you." As soon as I said that we hit the road so I gunned it until we hit fourty five. "Speed limits suck. If I had an alt I would always get busted for speeding."

"Too bad you don't otherwise we could race."

Too bad was right. I had the feeling that Sides would leave me in the dust though. So maybe it wasn't such a bad thing. Driving him was good enough. For now. He sure was a smooth ride though!

We made it the rest of the way home without much conversation. Both of us content to let me fully enjoy driving Sides...and him letting me drive him. Why did that sound so...sexual when I said it? And why did I have to blush like an idiot when I thought that?

Fortunately we made it back to my house before I could fully contemplate the implications of being inside of him in a perverted light. Therefore my timing saved me from dying of embarrassment or wrecking.

"Well Sides I'm gonna shower and get around for bed. I'll see you later."

"Night Clare."

Was it just me or did he sound lonely when he said that?

What was that all about?

* * *

R&amp;R! Time skip in the next one possibly! Until then!


	17. Chapter 17

Time skip! Until the second movie happens most of these are fillers. I hope it doesn't make it too boring. Most of it is relevant to what's going to happen so don't worry about that! Anyways I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

Almost three months went by in a flash. Not much had changed at the base, no new arrivals or anything like that. When I was there I spent most of my time with the twins, or training with one of the femmes. So far I was getting the basics of everything pretty well. Ironhide had even allowed me to resume my weapons training! And better yet was the fact that I had not shot anyone else since being allowed to hold a gun again!

Things were also going well with Sunny and I. We hadn't done more than kiss or...make out from time to time, but I was getting more comfortable with him and my feelings had grown stronger in the short time we were together than I had thought possible. Everytime I saw him my spark skipped a beat. Everytime he had to leave me I felt heavy. He didn't show any outward signs of feeling the same way other than a smirk when he saw me, but I knew that he did.

Opi and I were also spending a lot more time together when we were able. We listened to music everytime we hung out. Hours would be spent discussing different groups, individual artists, and the like. It was a lot of fun to bond with him. Though I did sense that he missed Prowl quite often. I hoped that I at least partially filled the gap that his mate's absense created.

Other than that things at home were picking up as well. Mikeala and I hung out at least once or twice a week after school and we were hitting it off great. She would teach me how to fix cars, and then I would get myself covered in oil and slime helping her with repairs. Sunny was always reluctant to drive me home when he was tasked to watch over me during my visits, complaining that his interior could get smudged. What a sparkling!

Sam and I spent a lot of time with Bee when we were home as well. We listened to music in the garage, played video games with his holoform in the house, and explored new places that he hadn't seen before. Like the mall. That had been Mikeala's idea. Bee seemed curious about everything though so he didn't seem to mind being dragged along to carry Mikeala's bags since Sam was too wimpy to carry them all.

I was actually sitting outside the school with Mikeala and Sam eating lunch right now. The former was trying to talk all of us into going to the winter dance coming up. Sam wanted to go to show Mikeala off. Me? No way in pit was I going to any dance. Not even prom.

"For the thousandth time Mikeala I am not going to the dance. Not ever."

"Come on Clare!" Mikeala protested. "I could see you not wanting to go if you didn't have anyone to take but you have Sunstreaker! Don't you want to show his sexy holoform off to the other girls at school then ride off at the end of the dance in a gold Lamborghini? It's like a less cheesy Cinderella film ending!"

I glared at her. "No. It's a formal dance as in I have to wear a dress and heels. Mikeala do I look like the type of girl to wear a dress?"

"Do I?" She shot back grumpily. "If I can get over my tomboyishness for the dance than so can you! Come on! We can go dress shopping together after school!"

"I don't have money for a dress or heels!" And I was not going to go to the mall and dress shop all day. Besides the dance was in like less than a week! That was really short notice to get things around for it! And so what if that was a total excuse not to go! "There's no time to pick out a dress anyways Mikeala. The dance is on Friday."

"That's in like four days! We have plenty of time!"

Man she was persistent! Fortunately for me I had the perfect excuse! "Sunny will never go to a human high school dance Mikeala. If he won't go then I'm not going simple! And since he won't go the discussion is a moot point." There take that!

Mikeala scowled and stood up from the table.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked her when she stalked into the parking lot where Sunny was parked. We received no response. I realized what she was trying to do. Not that it would get her anywhere! Sunny likely would not even talk to her.

I watched her lean down near Sunny's door for several long moments. She looked like she was pleading with him to take me her face set into a look of frustration. Then anger morphed her features. She made an erratic motion with her hand indicating that they were arguing, or he was ignoring her which angered her.

"He won't squish my girlfriend will he?"

"No. Ignore her until she wishes she could squish him? Yes most likely. That or he may insult her until she wants to spill paint thinner all over him." I loved Sunny some days. Especially when he was doing exactly what I wanted. Wow that sounded controlling.

A sudden shift in Mikeala's expression caused me to sit up more fully in alarm. It was one of smugness and accomplishment. What was that all about?

And then things got even worse because one astrosecond she was standing there alone, and the next Sunny's holoform popped out of the driver's side of the car almost smacking Mikeala in the face with it. He barely paid her any mind as he stormed over to where Sam and I were sitting, a smug looking Mikeala trailing along after him.

"You're not going to this dance or whatever the function is called with a filthy human!" Sunny snarled once he was within ear shot.

"Excuse me?" My eyes followed Mikeala who sat down next to Sam looking quite pleased with herself. Little jerk.

"Your organic friend there told me that in four solar cycles there is a school function that she intends to take you to. She also told me that you have to go with a partner! You are not going with a human! You're not going at all!"

"Mikeala you told him that I was going?! I said I wasn't!"

"You are going even if I have to enlist Bee to drag you there! Come to think of it he can be your date! His holoform is so cute!" She grinned.

For good reason too because as soon as Bee was mentioned Sunny played right into her hands before I could warn him about her plan. "The only mech you are allowed to go to something like this with is me! And I-"

"See Clare he agreed to take you!" Mikeala jumped in mid sentence. Sunny glared at her in response. "He said he'll take you!"

"No he said that I can't go without him! And since I'm not going it's not an issue!"

"You are going Clare." Mikeala growled. Rather impressive sounding for a human too. "Either he takes you or I will bribe Bee or Sideswipe to take you. I'm sure both would love the idea." She leered at Sunny at the last bit. "I managed to get both of their comm frequencies so I can just text them and ask them."

"Mikeala do not antagonize him! Sunny just calm down ok?"

My mechfriend was tensed tighter than a bowstring ready to snap. "I'll take her."

NO! "Sunny no!"

He whipped around in my direction. "I'm taking you!"

"You hear that Clare? He's taking you!" Mikeala smiled at me. "I guess that means we get to go dress shopping after school."

"Mikeala you suck. How am I supposed to afford a dress and shoes with no money to buy them?"

"Ask Jazz. Or maybe Sunstreaker can buy them for you."

In response Sunny plopped down beside me and wrapped a muscular arm around my shoulders. I knew it was more out of possessiveness than an actual need to show affection. That, as I had learned in the last few months, was just how he was. He had to show others what he viewed as his in the only way that he knew how. Either outright aggression or by staking an actual claim on it. By that I meant me.

"Mikeala the bots have a set budget to use each month. They can't waste money on something like a dress or shoes for a school dance. I'm not even going to ask."

"Then I'll buy whatever you want and then you can pay me back!"

"Mikeala-"

"Your boyfriend can even come and help us pick something out! Or better yet maybe not...because then it wouldn't be a surprise. Maybe Sides should come and help us pick a dress out for you?" Mikeala suggested.

Well he was supposed to come take over for Sunny today. Wait was I really contemplating actually going? Yuck! I wasn't so sure how I felt about Sides coming either. We got along great despite the way he flirted with me constantly, but he had been acting strange lately. More distant. Sunny assured me that nothing was wrong but I couldn't help but feel that there was something bothering him. He was still around me often, always joking and laughing like nothing was wrong. But I saw the way he looked at Sunny and I sometimes. Maybe he was lonely? Did he want a femme of his own? Wouldn't it be like rubbing it in his face if we asked him to come with us to help me pick out a dress so that I could go to a dance with his brother?

"I don't know Mikeala. Sides has been acting a little...off lately. Maybe Bee can come if you really think that we need a second opinion?" I noticed Sunny frown at me prompting me to lift a brow at him.

"He'll want to come. He told me so over the bond."

"But Sunny you know how...well he's been acting odd lately. I don't want to drag him along if he's not feeling up to it."

His expression shifted as he communed over the twin bond they shared. After a few kliks he blinked and turned towards me again. "He says that he wants to come so that he can see what you look like in a dress."

My brows furrowed together in puzzlement. "Why would he...never mind. It's Sides." I sighed and slumped against Sunny's side. "Fine but tell him that girls take a while to shop so he better get used to the idea of being at the mall for a few hours because of Mikeala."

"Hey!" Said girl protested.

We both ignored her. "He says that it's ok, and that he really wants to go."

"Ok. I'm not looking forward to wasting an entire afternoon shopping but...at least he'll make it more entertaining. Hopefully." I wanted to ask Sunny what was wrong with Sides. No I wanted to demand an answer from him. He wouldn't answer me whenever I asked. Demanding would most likely only start a fight. Still...I was worried about Sides. I wanted to know what was wrong with him. And Sides wouldn't tell me either no matter how many times I asked.

Each time he would give me an odd look, one that seemed sad and longing. Then he would either walk away from me or make up some excuse for his behavior. Maybe dragging him to the mall would be a perfect way to make him tell me? Only time would tell.

The warning bell rang suddenly giving us the five minute warning. Sam and Mikeala quickly got up to go to their next class leaving me alone with Sunny. I sighed and gathered my things quickly.

Sunny stood when I did. "Well I'll see you for a few kliks after class?"

He nodded.

"Ok. See you then ok?" Standing on my tippy toes I pressed a soft kiss to his lips.

He pressed back briefly then pulled back allowing us to go our separate ways.

After school...dress shopping. Ugh.

* * *

After school ended Sunny took me home so that I could change into a more comfortable outfit consisting of a pair of my gray track pants, and loose black Gir t-shirt. Sunny had only raised a brow at my outfit choice without actually commenting.

We only hung out for maybe a half hour before Sides showed up to relieve Sunny from Claresitting as he called it. By relieve I meant he came storming into my room and toted me down the stairs over his shoulder like a caveman. So fast that I had no time to say goodbye to Sunny.

He threw me into his alt mode and drove me to the mall where we met up with Mikeala. This is where we were right now.

Mikeala had no problem finding a dress she liked. A white dress that had a tight bodice with straps that tied around the neck and billowed out at the hips. It looked really nice on her...I think? Well she also chose white three inch heels to go with it. Don't ask me how she was going to walk in them without killing herself.

Anyways she had her dress and after another two hours I still had not found one that I would even wear. Sure she had forced me into a few such as a black skin tight dress that ended at my knees. Umm can I say hell no? Well I did. Right to her face. After that she had forced me into a dress of nearly every color, some of which clashed horribly with my hair and eye color at least in my opinion.

She was actually starting to get frustrated that I would not pick one. "Look Mikeala, if you insist on dragging me to this damn dance I am at least going to find a dress that I do not hate. Do you understand me? I am not a willing participant in any of this. The only reason that I am going is because you played on Sunny's possessive male instincts."

"Don't you mean possessive mech instincts?" Sides piped up helpfully. He was currently standing behind us while we looked through several dress racks.

"You know what I meant Sides." Green? No. Pink? No. Baby blue? No. Brown? Pit no. Nothing in any of these stores even looked fragging wearable! Ugh! They even had those...feathery looking dresses like a rooster's aft. I shuddered just looking at them.

"Clare I understand the importance of finding a dress that you like but we've been in almost every store in the mall! You have to pick one sometime!"

I huffed. "Or I can just not go."

"You are going!" Mikeala snapped grumpily. She pulled out a mermaid style black sequined dress and held it out for me. "What about this one? Black would go good with your hair and eyes."

"Black goes good with everything..." It was hideous. I wouldn't even be able to walk right in it, which was the main reason that I did not like it. "I wouldn't even be able to walk in that monstrosity Mikeala."

She pouted before placing it back on the rack. "You have to pick one sometime Clare! Either find one in this store or we're going to a boutique after!"

A shudder racked me from head to toe. Oh no anything but that! I renewed my efforts to find something to prevent that outcome. What really sucked was that we still had to find shoes to match whatever dress I chose. Oh joy.

"What about this one?"

When I turned towards Mikeala I was shocked when I did not immediately want to throw up upon seeing what she was holding. The dress was dark blue, navy if I was correct. It was strapless and had a sweetheart neckline, tight bodice, cut outs on the left side with a crystal wedge. It was also pleated and had a slit up the left leg all the way to the thigh, and was backless. So it was a little revealing...

Mikeala must have taken the look on my face as a good thing. "You like it!" She looked the dress over from top to bottom. "It's really pretty. We should have you try it on!"

All I could do was nod dumbly prior to being ushered into a dressing room. I stripped down out of all of my clothes besides my underwear and pulled the dress on. It squeezed my chest making my boobs look bigger...not that I needed or wanted that, fit me like a second skin, and was still comfortable to move in. It billowed out at the thigh but not too much which meant that walking in it would be no problem. It also stood out in great contrast against my pale skin, blue markings, and my hair and eyes.

"Come out Clare I want to see!"

"I wanna see too!" Sides whined.

"Shut it Sides you can see her when she comes out!"

I undid the lock and stepped out of the dressing room putting an immediate end to their bickering. My teeth dug into my lower lip as I worried it nervously twirling my body around so that they could see it. "So? How bad does it look?"

"It looks great on you!" Mikeala complimented me. "You have to get this one!" She stepped forward and turned me more slowly so that she could look me over at every angle. "Yup this dress was made for you."

"It does look very good Clare. Sunny will like it."

"Thanks Sides."

"Ok so it's decided that you're getting this one! Now go change back so that we can get you some shoes!"

I was shoved back into the dressing room so that I could change back into my scrub clothes. "No high heels Mikeala!"

"Yes high heels Clare! Or at the very least some cute flats!"

"Why must you be such a dictator about shopping? I thought that you didn't even like girly stuff?" I muttered when I stepped out of the dressing room with my new soon to be purchase. A very expensive 230$ dress...that I had to pay back later.

Mikeala paid for it then ushered Sides and I into a shoe store across the way. We spent roughly half an hour in there trying on different heels, yes heels. She was making me get a pair with at least a one inch heel.

In the end I chose a pair of silver strap heels with the smallest lift I could get. We bought them officially ending our shopping trip before going to get something from the food court for Mikeala and I to eat.

I got some orange chicken and white rice and sat down at the table where we had left Sides. I handed him a fork so that he could try some while we waited for Mikeala to come back from getting her sub. "So Sides...how have things been lately?"

He paused in stuffing a piece of chicken into his mouth to regard me. "Fine. It can get a little boring on base when Sunny's with you since I don't have anybot else to prank with. Other than that it's good. Optimus actually told me that there were some new arrivals coming in sometime in the next two days. Four Autobot signatures. Jazz thinks one of them is Prowl."

I perked up in excitement. "Really? Opi told me about him a while back."

"Yeah Jazz thinks it's him. He says that the bond has been pulsing the last few days and that means that Prowl's getting close. That reminds me!" He scooted closer to me and plucked another piece of chicken from my plate. "Prowl is gonna find out that he's a creator now! I wonder if it'll make him glitch?"

"Glitch? Sides that's mean!"

He laughed. "No it's not! Prowl may be Jazz's sparkmate but he can be a major aft sometimes. Besides the glitches don't do any permanent damage to him so he's always fine after a few kliks."

I took a drink of my Dr. Pepper. "Why would finding out that Jazz adopted me make him glitch?"

Sides got a devious glint in his eye. "Oh no reason... Hey you should call him danniluk when you meet him!"

"Danniluk? Doesn't that mean femme creator? Why would I call him that?"

"Well because it'd be weird to call the both opi right? How are they going to know which one you're referring to when you say it? C'mon it'll be funny to see his reaction!"

He was forcing the subject to stay as far away from being centered on him as possible. Maybe he didn't think that I could see that? Either way it still bothered me. "Maybe. But maybe you can stop changing the subject for once?"

He looked away from me, bright red hair swaying with the movement. "Nothing is wrong Clare. It's just I feel left out sometimes. Sunny has you, and me? I don't have anybot."

My spark pulsed painfully at the dejected look in his eyes. "Sides...that's not true. You'll always have Sunny even if I know that's not what you were referring to. And I'll always be your friend no matter what happens promise!"

"That's not...what I meant."

The air around us got thick like an electric current was crackling all around. "Maybe...you could try asking Flareup out? I mean you were meaning that you didn't have a femme of your own right? Maybe Arcee or Flareup-"

"I'm not interested in them like that." He cut me off abruptly.

Oh...maybe... "Are you umm into mechs? Is there a mech you like?"

He looked at me in horror. "No. No I'm not really into mechs Clare. I mean it doesn't bother me when other mechs are into each other, but I'm not into them myself. I'm a femmes mech all the way. Sunny and I both are."

"Oh...so there's nobot you're interested in here then." I murmured.

"Nobot that I can have." He murmured so softly that I barely heard it.

I opened my mouth to ask him what that meant when Mikeala finally came over and plopped down beside me. She looked between the two of us clearly able to sense the tension in the air. "Umm so Sides how are you liking Earth so far?"

There must have been a collective sigh of relief from both of us due to the topic change. Sides alllowed his moroseness to fade away so that he could chat with her. "It's pretty cool. A lot different from Cybertron too! But there are some things that I can do here that I used to do at home!"

"Like what?"

Street racing. Sides had taken me once. Thankfully nobot found out about it otherwise we both would've gotten busted big time. Sides did win the race by a long shot though which was cool. We had spent the prize money on a gaming system and tv for the twin's room. Nobot had asked how they got it. Or maybe nobot knew about it. Well besides Sunny...but he never asked. Then again he probably didn't need to.

"Street racing! Some of the humans that compete are pretty good drivers. A few times they almost made it challenging for me."

Mikeala hummed in interest. "Took the first place prize huh? Not bad. Then again I doubt that any human car no matter how suped up could compete with one of your engines."

"Probably not." Sides grinned cockily. "I'm a speed machine. Nobot can keep up with me."

I snorted out a laugh. "Must be all that practice you got running away from Ratchet's wrench."

He nodded enthusiastically. "Probably! I got a lot of evasive training out of it too!"

"Only you Sides...only you." I sighed dramatically. He pouted causing Mikeala and I to burst into laughter. After a few astroseconds he joined in laughing as well leaning on my shoulder to steady himself.

After a few moments we all calmed down and finished our food, or Sides helped me finish off mine, in other words he kept stealing it. Once we were done Sides and I walked Mikeala out to her motorcycle and said our goodbyes to her. As soon as she left we got into Sides' alt mode and left to go back to my house.

Neither of us said much to each other for the rest of the day and night.

What was wrong with him?

* * *

On Wednesday I got the surprise of a lifetime when opi picked me up from school to take me to the base. He said that he had a surprise for me. I was already pretty sure that I knew what was going on though.

I sat through the terrifying plane ride anyways, eagerly bouncing in my seat the whole time. Opi laughed at me but left me to my own jittering in peace. It was probably because he was as happy as I was! No he was probably even happier than me!

We got let off of the plane and drove into the hangar which was a frenzy of activity. There were four bots that I had not met before, one that I vaguely recognized from the door wings and black and white paint as Prowl, another huge silver bot that almost looked like he had a potbelly, and two smaller red and green bots. The last two were wrestling around and beating the snot out of each other while every other bot in the hangar pretty much ignored them.

Prowl was much more focused on watching opi's approach.

Opi slid to a stop and opened his door so that I could get out. I slipped out allowing him to transform into his bi pedal mode, taking the time it took to observe Prowl as closely as he was observing me. We locked optics and the rest of the world just seemed to fade away into a dull hum in the background...like a gravitational pull was tugging at me. I realized with a start that his spark was calling out to mine guided by opi's bond with me. It only took me a moment to return the tug I felt and when I did another consciousness flooded into mine.

It was calculating and almost seemed cold. Analytical and practical. He was the exact opposite of opi and I, and yet there was a warm affection that flooded the new link we shared. My human disguise passed through my mind as if to question why? Did he want me to change?

**[He does. He wan's ta see ya.]**

**[Ok.]** I activated my TCOG sequence allowing my nanites to matter shift into my armor. My clothes were automatically subspaced for later leaving me standing before him in bot form in an astrosecond.

His chassis rumbled with a soft purr as he reached for me and lifted me up from the ground. He settled me against his chassis which let me tell you was pretty high since he was a few feet taller than Sunny.

Opi watched us interact with a warm smile and a bond pulsing with contentment and joy. I'd never felt him so happy and I knew it was because Prowl had accepted me as much as he had. We could both feel that.

It filled me with equal parts joy and elation. I had a new bond, another parent. For the first time in my life my family felt complete. Like I wasn't just a castaway that my Aunt and Uncle had been forced to care for. I'd never realized really that I felt like that much of a burden until now. But I had, and the reality of this situation made me understand that though that had not been the case some part of me had thought it to be true. Neither of my adoptive parents would ever allow me to feel that way I was sure of it.

Opi joined us in a family hug while the rest of the bots moved away to give us some privacy, and together the three of us revelled in our newly established family unit. It was nice...but in my experience all good things must come to an end.

Unfortunately it was my big mouth that set the series of events into motion that ended our peaceful embrace.

"Umm so Jazz is opi...does that mean that I have to call you danniluk?"

**ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!** I was suddenly yanked away when Prowl's helm exploded in a series of sparks that sent him plummeting to the ground with a loud thud.

Opi sat me on the ground next to him where I proceeded to freak out. "Oh my god I killed him!"

Sides' and Sunny's laughter echoed across the hangar causing me to whip around and glare at them. "It is not funny! What if I killed him!"

Ratchet stalked past the twins delivering two swift smacks to their helms before kneeling next to Prowl. "He is not offline Clare. His logic center glitched. Prowl here suffers from a glitch that scrambles his cerebral circuits when something surprises him. You calling him danniluk made him glitch."

"Oh...sorry I didn't know."

"S'alright sparklet." Opi reassured me. "Why don'cha go on ova an' meet Hound an' da otha twins? Dey were all anxious ta mee'cha."

"Ok. Umm he's not going to be mad at me right?"

"No. It was an accident sparklet. When 'e wakes up he'll be jus' fine. No' go on an' meet everybot else ok? Ah'll call ya when 'e wakes up." He gave my helm a soft pat before shooing me away towards the others.

I was a little wary of the second set of twins both of who had paused in their wrestling to watch me, so I passed them and bounded up to the large green and brown colored bot. He watched me with a small smile when I activated my electromagnetic manipulator and scaled his armor until I was at face level with him. "Hello."

"Hello."

"What's your name?"

"Hound. What is your designation?"

"Clare. Why are you so big?"

"I was built this way. Why are you so small?"

"Because I'm a midget."

"What's a midget?"

"A small person."

"But you are not a human." He reasoned.

"No but I'm tiny, therefore I am a midget. Midget power!" I fist pumped.

He copied the motion of fist pumping for some reason. "Why do you do that with your fist?"

"Uhhh it means that I'm excited!"

"You are excited to have midget power?"

I laughed. "Yup!"

"I see. You are quite lively aren't you? The twins must get along well with you."

I hadn't noticed Prowl come back to just before Hound's statement. "Yup! I'm actually dating Sunstreaker." There was a loud clang which had everybot whipping around to where Prowl had glitched again.

"He's ok! Jus' glitched again." Opi reassured everyone.

"Whoops. Is that gonna happen a lot?"

"It is Prowl so probably." Hound responded off handedly. He didn't seem that worried about it so I let it go. That and the other set of twins came over to poke and prod at Hound's peds to get him to sit me down. He looked reluctant to do so however.

"Ey Hound! Put dat perty lil femme down so we can take a goo' look at 'er!" The red one demanded.

"Why would any femme wanna see yo'r ugly glitched aft? Set 'er down so I can see 'er Hound! I'm da betta lookin twin sweetaft. Once yo' come ta Skids yo'll neva look back!" The green one declared rambunciously.

"Umm they did hear what I just said about Sunny right?" My optics drifted over to where my mechfriend was standing scowling at the little set of twins. Sides was standing right beside him glaring just as heatedly.

"They tend to only hear what they want to hear." Hound informed me tiredly. He lowered me towards the ground to place me between both bickering mechs. "Be careful with her she's smaller than you." He warned.

They seemed to ignore it in favor of crowding around me pushing and shoving at one another like idiots. The red one finally shoved the green one out of the way. "I'm Mudflap the betta lookin' twin! Dat green piecea scrap is Skids. Bu' yo' can forget all 'bout 'im if ya wanna."

"Ey!" Skids jumped up and shoved Mudflap out of the way almost making him hit me. "Yo' glitch aft nigga!"

I gasped and smacked Skids so fast that my servo almost wasn't visible. "DON'T YOU EVER SAY NIGGA OR NIGGER AROUND ME SHITS! THAT IS SUCH AN OFFENSIVE HUMAN SLANG WORD AND IT'S RACIST!"

"Awww she glitch slapped yo' ya stupid half bit!" Mudflap guffawed.

Skids wasn't too busy pouting to turn and start strangling Mudflap. "Yo'r jus' jealous cause femmes like me mo'e ya glitch aft foo'!

Mudflap shoved him back. "Yea righ' ya stupid glitch! Everybot kno's dat I'm da betta twin in every way!"

I ducked out of the way with a startled squeak when Skids...Shits almost smacked into me again. Luckily I was fast enough to get out of the way so he hit Hound's leg instead. Said bot shifted so that I was safely behind his leg where the idiots couldn't accidentally harm me while they continued to fight about who I liked more.

"Umm I'm not normally the type to judge but they seem kind of...stupid."

"They are." Hound sighed.

Sides and Sunny came over, and the latter kicked Skids and Mudflap away. "In case your audios need to be cleaned out she said that she was mine."

I sighed in relief thinking that that would be the end of it, but Skids and Mudflap proved to be even dumber than I gave them credit for. In an astrosecond both were on their peds in full on confrontation mode. "Yo' ain' mated to 'er! She ain' got yo'r designation branded on 'er!" Mudflap challenged. Was he stupid?

"Yea! Until she bonds ta somebo' she's fair game!" Skids added...like an idiot.

"Are you half bits challenging me?" Sunny spoke up in a clear and deathly calm tone. Oh scrap! He may sound calm but I knew him well enough to know that the tightening in his frame hinted at outright aggression.

"You all need to calm down." Hound interjected calmly. I don't think it was working cause nobot looked any calmer than before.

"Sunny please calm down." I pleaded. The last thing I wanted was for him to get into a fight with Skids and Mudflap...and by fight I meant that I didn't want him to beat them down into the floor.

Luckily Optimus stepped in between both sets of twins before a fight could break out. "That is enough! You will all stand down this instant! I will not have disharmony among my soldiers."

Skids and Mudflap backed off first unwilling to test Optimus. At least they were smart enough not to try his patience like they were trying Sunny and Sides...though I'd rather test Optimus than those two honestly.

Once I was sure that nobot was going to fight it out I stepped out from behind Hound's leg and latched onto Sunny's leg instead. I clambered onto his shoulder by scaling the pristine gold plates of his armor. He regarded me with heated optics though I could tell that he was not angry at me. I nuzzled my helm against his cheek trilling low in my throat to calm him. He tensed before nuzzling me back, discreetly of course.

**:Relax, I'm not interested in Shits and Aftflapper.:**

He snorted. **:I didn't think you were. Doesn't mean that I can't establish my dominance over them.:**

**:True. Just try not to let them get to you ok?:**

He only snorted again but said nothing before carting me over to where Prowl was coming to again. I only hoped that he didn't see me on Sunny's shoulder and glitch again...

"Uhhh my processor is pounding." He rubbed his helm gingerly as he looked up. Upon seeing me on Sunny's shoulder he looked like he might glitch again. Instead he shook his helm as if to dispel an illusion or something. "Jazz?"

"Yea Prowler?"

"Our sparkling is sitting on Sunstreaker's shoulder and he has made no attempt to squish her yet."

Amusement coursed through opi and I. "Sunny wouldn't hurt me." I blocked the bond and left out the instances where he had obviously wanted to, and the one where he had actually rolled over on my leg and crushed it.

"Leave em be Prowler. Sunstreaker kno's betta den ta harm our sparklin'. Don'cha Sunstreaker?"

Sunny only scowled in response.

Prowl looked uncertain too for that matter. But he stood anyways and settled his suddenly cold blue optics on Sunstreaker. "If you do anything to her it will end with you being brigged. Do you understand me Sunstreaker?"

Uhhhh was it just me or were all of these encounters resulting in threats and aggressive posturing? I just kind of looked between the three curiously, instinctually understanding that this behavior was to be expected. Creators were protective, so were opi and Prowl even if I had just met the latter. And Sunny, AKA my mechfriend, was naturally rebellious and possessed an ego that was unsurpassed. So I wasn't surprised by any of their behavior.

But when Prowl...should I just call him dad or something? It felt to impersonal to call him Prowl. Shaking the thoughts off I focused in on the way he was measuring up Sides as well. Before I could ask he opened his mouth and said something that confused the pit out of me.

"And that goes for you as well Sideswipe."

Wtf? "Umm what does that mean?"

"Nothing." Sunny cut in so fast that nobot had time to answer. I noticed not only Sides give him a weird look, but opi and dad did as well. How many times did I have to sit here asking myself what was up with this situation and the strange undercurrent?

Once again I ended up being sidetracked when opi snatched me from Sunny. "Le's 'ave a lil family bonding time until ya 'ave ta go 'ome."

"Ok. Bye Sunny. Bye Sides." I waved to them as I was carried away.

"Bye Clare! Have a fun family unit bonding time!" Sides called out with a grin.

Sunny only gave a half hearted wave at the same time that we turned another corner.

As soon as everybot else was out of audio shot opi started filling me in on my new dad. "Prowler 'ere is the SIC, Second In Command of da Autobots. He's Optimus's main advisa as well."

"Can I just call him dad instead of opiluck?"

Prowl tilted his helm at opi whom chuckled. "I's da human term fo' mech creator."

"I see. You may call me that if you wish."

I trilled happily making opi laugh at my excited chattering. "O-k! So dad must be really smart huh?"

"He 'as da bes' battle computer of any Cybertronian." Opi claimed with pride. "So yeah."

"Really? That's cool."

Dad gave me a minscule smirk so small that it barely seemed like it was there. The newly established bond between us pulsed with amusement. "Yes it is. I have actually spoken to Jazz about taking over your education on Cybertron's history. There is much more to be learned from an actual teacher than from datapads."

"Yeah cause I can ask you questions and I can't ask a datapad."

"That is quite true. We will get started right away."

**[Umm opi does he know that I don't live on base?]**

**[...Ah 'aven't gotten 'round ta tellin 'im yet.] **He admitted.** [He migh' freak ou' an' demand dat ya stay 'ere.]**

Well that was an issue. I didn't exactly want to put explaining it on opi though. "Umm dad?"

"Yes Clare?"

"I uhhh don't live on base actually. I'm only visiting today to meet all the new arrivals. I live with my human caretakers on the mainland and only come here on weekends."

My new dad froze in his tracks. He looked like he might...** BAM!** Sparks flew out of his helm as he went crashing to the floor again. I flinched at the loud sound huddling closer to opi's neck.

"Oh no..."

"Ah'll comm. link Ratchet sparklet...don' worry 'bout it."

"Ok. Is-is he going to flip out when he wakes up?"

Opi grimaced. "Maybay."

"Oh...so it's not a good time to tell you that I'm going to be late coming to base on Friday?"

"Why?"

"Ummm because I have a school dance that Mikeala is dragging Sunny and I to."

Opi looked contemplative. "Wha's a school dance?"

I sighed... Why did they always have to ask me? Why couldn't they all just look it up on the internet? You know using the ability to remotely connect to the internet...that all teenagers would kill to have. Yeah that ability.

Oh well... The same way that it was their job to educate me on Cybertronian customs the job of teaching them about human customs fell on me.

Settling in I began to explain it to him while we waited for Ratchet to show up.

This situation could end up working out for me in fact! They could deny me the right to go! Then I could get out of it!

Oh joy!

* * *

R&amp;R! So Prowl is in the story now! Hope you liked the introductions! And to Guest user yo- np! Oh and if you want to see the dress here's the link! s/xscape-side-cutout-embellished-strapless-gown/3980333?origin=category-personalizedsort&amp;contextualcategoryid=0&amp;fashionColor=&amp;resultback=4291

Now for some reviews!

**DarkshadowXsunny-sides**\- XD glad to hear that you couldn't stop reading! And yes poor Sides is lonely but it won't last much longer!

**Guest reviewer yo**\- NP!

**Coolgal02**\- Lol just don't make out with your tablet XD. Sides' time is coming very soon! The way I'm doing it is a little different though! And yay BOB!

**himelove22**\- Thanks! And in a way Sunny is wrong in what he's doing as you will see soon!

**HeartsGuardianSol**\- He is...too bad neither of them are thinking about how Clare is going to feel when she finds out. That'll be interesting to see.

**Izzy-dragon-rider**\- I know right? Sunny is just so used to immediately being shoved aside that it hurts him a lot. Who would want to be used as the second choice good only for screwing? Not me. He does need to see things from more than that perspective though. And berth play is coming...

**Miyukumu**\- All of it is coming! Keep checking in for more!


	18. Chapter 18

Yay over a hundred reviews! You guys are awesome! Poor Sides! All he wants to do is take Clare to the dance too but Sunny is mean and won't let him! Not sure how long I will take to get to the stage where Sides enters the relationship as well. Probably not too long. Anyways I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! Dos Limeade! Readers have been warned!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

The dance was tonight and right now Sunny and I were hanging out for a bit until Mikeala came over to help me get ready. I was nervous about it. All of it. Wearing a dress in front of him, and dancing in front of him. Well I guess I didn't have to dance with him. We could just listen to the music and talk. Somehow I didn't think Sunny was much for dancing either.

I wondered if he was nervous or excited at all? Probably not knowing him.

Right now we were laying on my bed where we had been since he had grabbed me and tossed me onto it. I cuddled into his chest feeling the warmth radiating off of his body. His arms were wrapped around my waist tightly holding me like a damn teddy bear. I sighed in contentment. It was moments like this when we were alone that I loved the most. It was the only time that he would be outright affectionate with me, and I savored these moments.

A gust of warm breath ghosted over my temple followed closely by a firm peck. I leaned into it seeking more of his touch. Spending time with him had made me realize how much I craved affection from him as rare as it was. I was never stupid enough to pass it up. Now was no different.

He turned my head and trailed his lips down my temple, across my cheek, until he finally ghosted over my own lips softly at first with a quickly growing intensity. In a quick move he had me rolled over onto my back so that he was situated between my legs.

I gasped when our apexes rubbed against each other, the opening allowing him to snake his tongue into my mouth. He pressed harder into me growling into my mouth, tongue lapping at mine expertly. A soft moan rumbled in my chest.

We had only come this far once, that time in the movie theater. Since then he hadn't done anything to push me or arouse me. Not outside of kissing me, sometimes even heatedly. I wasn't sure if I could...do more yet. The thought made me nervous.

But when he rubbed himself against me the pleasant sparks that danced along every part of my body almost made me instantly cave in. It felt so good that I subconsciously thrusted my hips back. He growled before grabbing my arms and pinning them above my head.

"Sunny I don't...I don't know if I can."

His grip loosened just the slightest bit, expression softening minutely. "I'm not going to force you to do anything. We don't have to frag though baby. There are other things that we can do."

Oh I know...it's just that I wasn't sure if I was ready to do anything. What if we did something small and it led to something that I wasn't ready for yet? Passion could make people and bots do crazy things...things that they weren't ok with. "I..."

At the same time my body was burning with what was becoming a familiar sensation. One that arose everytime we kissed or made out. One that always ate me up inside due to my unwillingness to satiate it on my own, or to allow Sunny to do something about it. I never told him when I was feeling it, but I think he already knew... He knew and he had never pushed me for more, or tried to take advantage of me.

I bit my bottom lip eyes nervously holding his. He hadn't moved again probably because I hadn't said I was ok with it. Sunny would never push himself on an unwilling femme. "Mikeala is supposed to come here soon."

"We have time. I'll tell you when she gets here."

Never had he tried to reason with me to get me to do anything with him. It kind of surprised me. It didn't convince me entirely though. "I just don't want to get too into it and do something I'm not ready for."

He leaned in and kissed me softly once, twice, three times before pulling back. "I promise that I will not interface with you today. You aren't ready...if you were I would strip you naked and frag you through this bed. Since you aren't I won't let that happen."

My cheeks flamed with a heated blush. "Promise?" I was on the verge of caving anyways my body was screaming with desire. My breath was coming out in soft pants as I shifted my hips gasping softly when his hard bulge rubbed against me.

"I promise." He pressed himself closer to me breath fanning over my face. "I'm going to make you overload without even stripping you." He promised with lust darkened eyes.

I was helpless to stop the rather loud moan that escaped me, as was I equally helpless to stop myself from blushing like an idiot afterwards.

I don't know what I expected from Sunny, a heated bout of making out preceding whatever he had planned? Maybe some more rubbing? I got something else instead.

Firm hands gripped my chest through my flimsy blue cottom tank top making me gasp. My eyes grew impossibly wide, back arching as pleasure shot through me. He was cupping me through my bra firmly kneading the soft fleshy covering over my protoform stimulating the pleasure receptors. A breathy whimper forced itself from between my clenched teeth.

He hummed appreciatively and started rubbing his jean covered spike against my cotton covered core. My entire body was filled with warmth and electric tingles making my skin spark. I bit my lip to stifle the sounds I was making each time he rubbed himself against my core.

One of his hands snaked down to my left hip and hitched my leg over his giving him more access. I whimpered as the speed of his grinding sped up making my breath come out in shorter more ragged pants.

Pleasure shot up from my valve over and over building in ever intensifying waves. I felt his thumbs flick over my nipples through my tank top pleasure spiking higher, fueling the sensations rising from between my legs, making me moan loudly.

I grabbed his shoulders and hesitated before I rolled him over onto his back. He let me and we ended up situated with me stradling him with one of his hands wrapped around my hip to guide me while the other continued kneading me. I placed my hands on his chest and grinded faster soft moans and whimpers falling with abandon.

"Ummm...would it sound perverted if I said I'd rather be dry fragging your real form over this one?" I panted out. A knot was building in my abdomen. Sparks danced over my skin more and more insistently with my climbing gratification. Oh my god I was turning into a whore.

He smirked devilishly. "I'd rather have your real form all over my frame instead of this one."

A sharp spike of pleasure hit me hard head falling forward as I moaned loud and grinded harder. I bit my lip as my abdomen clenched hard forcing a breathy gasp from me. The tide wouldn't hit me though leaving me hovering over the edge.

Sunny took notice immediately and flipped me onto my back on the bed again only this time it was beside him. Before I could protest or say anything one of his hands slid towards the waist of my cotton shorts teasing me.

My body froze. "Sunny I..."

"Relax. I won't force anything." He promised.

I was nervous but I nodded hesitantly allowing him to slip his hand down into my shorts past my underwear. My body tensed even more when one of his fingers passed over my nub, which was just a covering for one of the more sensitive external ports. AKA it was very sensitive to any stimulation and I moaned and jerked violently when he touched it.

Another hand tugged at my tank top lifting it over my chest before working one of my bra cups up as well. "Sunny!" I tried to cover myself but he grabbed my arms in one hand and lifted them both above my head.

"Shhh." He hushed me firmly before he did something that had me practically screaming, he took my nipple in his mouth.

Wet heat enveloped my right nipple forcing a soft scream from my lips. "SUNNY!" The pace of the hand in my pants sped up as well rapidly flicking over the nub, slipping and sliding over the excessive amounts of lubrication I was producing.

He purred, suckling and firmly touching in ways that I did not even know were possible. The waves of my overload started building with renewed vigor with each stroke and suckle, until I was practically writhing embarrassingly on the bed. I was helpless to stop my reactions though having never been touched like this before. I was practically convulsing and he was enjoying every astrosecond of it with a satisfaction that was purely masculine.

And then it all came to an earthshattering conclusion with several rapid strokes of both tongue and finger. I overloaded with a shrill scream echoing the massive wave of ecstasy crashing through me making me buck my hips without shame or care to draw it out.

Sunny growled and worked me through it until I slumped onto the bed spent and panting. He lifted a pink coated finger from between my legs to his lips and suckled the liquid off of it. "Tastes sweeter than I was expecting." He mused like it was normal to go around sucking cum, robotic or organic off of your finger.

My body felt like jelly, chest heaving. I didn't even try to fix my shirt or bra...or my messed up shorts. Sunny had to right everything for me since I just couldn't bring myself to move yet. He did so with a self satisfied smirk. Cocky afthole.

He shifted closer to me looking stiff and slightly uncomfortable. It was then that I noticed that he still had an erect spike. I was pulled into a tight embrace before I coud move to touch him in any way. Was he really not expecting anything from me? "Sunny?"

"Yeah?"

Nerves made me hesitate for a moment. "Does it...hurt?"

"Does wha-" He started only to pull back slightly so that his eyes could travel down to the bulge in his pants. "Well these forms are designed to be completely anatomically correct baby." He left the implication hanging in the air between us.

So it hurt. "I..." I gulped and nervously licked my lips to wet them. "Could I...help?"

In a rush of movement he was leaning down into my face with a dark look on his features.

I snapped back and stammered nervously. "I-I just...it looks like it hurts. Umm I want to help but if you don't want me to- I mean I don't really know what to do so maybe you don't want me touching you-"

Fingers clamped down on my lips to silence my rambling. Suddenly heated blue eyes leered at me from inches away. He took one of my hands in his and guided it down to the button of his jeans.

I took the hint and fumbled to undo the button holding them closed his eyes watching me the entire time. After a klik or so I managed to get the button popped open, and without pause he forcefully moved my hand into his boxers. I vaguely wondered why they wore undergarments even in holoform but the thought was pushed away when he guided my hand to wrap around his length and pump.

He showed me exactly how to move, own hand manipulating mine like a puppet, forcing it to loosen on the way down and tighten on the way back up before squeezing the head. I clumsily followed the motions he showed me after he removed his hand and laid on his back, forcing me to lean up over him to get a better angle.

Unfortunately he was on the side closest to the door, in plain view of anyone that walked in. I didn't think much of it while I stroked him because he said that he would tell me if anyone came. I never thought that the soft groans he rewarded me with meant that maybe he was enjoying my touch a little too much to care about anything else.

And when he pulled me into another heated make out session I really didn't care what happened either.

Until the door to my room burst open...

Our heads snapped up gazes locking on Mikeala and Sam standing in the doorway. Both looked as shocked and embarrassed as we-well as I did. But hey can you blame me? Here I was making out with Sunny with my hand buried between his legs. Anyone with eyes could tell what I was doing!

We all just sat there staring until the situation finally caught up with me. "DON'T YOU KNOW HOW TO KNOCK?!" I tore my hand out of Sunny's pants with a violent shriek.

Sam stammered dumbly before he pointed over his shoulder and backed out of the room without saying a word.

Mikeala just shook her head and smirked. "Well I didn't expect you two to be up here screwing around! Excuse me! I can come back in a few if you need to finish him off."

I buried my face into Sunny's shoulder with a groan. "Mikeala..." The mood was already past ruined with no way of being redeemed.

Sunny grunted and sat up bringing me up with him. He did his pants back up without even touching them! What the heck was up with that?! Couldn't he have just undone them the same way?!

"I need to look through that stupid magazine or whatever it's called to find something to wear."

Before either Mikeala or I could comment my mechfriend was up and out the door. I sulked, pouting. My first hurdle had almost been overcome and Mikeala just had to walk in and ruin it!

Said girl threw everything she had in her arms down to jump onto my bed with an excited look in her eyes. "You little slut! I thought I heard groaning from down the hall but I wasn't sure!"

I blinked. Did she just call me a slut? "Did you just call me a slut? And if you heard why did you come in anyway? It was my first time doing anything like that and you messed it up!"

She waved my first comment off. "I meant it jokingly. And besides like I said I wasn't sure what you were doing in here. For all I knew it was just the tv! And we have to get ready anyways! I was joking when I said I would leave so that you could finish him off."

I opened my mouth to tell her to shut it.

"You can just do that after the dance!" She smirked.

"MIKEALA!"

"Clare chill I was just kidding!" She hopped off of my bed and pointed to the bathroom. "Go and shower so that we can get ready for the dance! We'll talk about your first bedroom escapade afterwards!"

I growled in embarrassment feeling mortified on the inside. She was so going to get it later I swear! I did jump off my bed to head into my bathroom to shower as instructed however. The last thing I wanted was for pink fluid to run down my legs while I was in my dress!

Before I shut the door I turned and flipped her the bird. "You suck Mikeala!" Then I slammed the door behind me.

"You love me and you know it!" She laughed.

Yeah right! If I walked in on her jackin-oh my god bad mental images! UGH! Quickly stripping my clothes I stepped into the shower after turning the water on to a pretty hot temperature. It was actually a good thing that I did shower cause pink lubricant was coated around the apex of my thighs. I hurriedly washed it all off, moving up my body making sure to wash everything my hair included.

After roughly five kliks, I stepped out of the shower and dried off with a towel.

Mikeala was waiting for me in my bedroom with a pair of black lace panties and a long black t-shirt laying on my bed next to the dress I was going to wear. "Put these on so that I can do your hair and makeup."

I slid the garments on, taking notice of the fact that Mikeala had already done her makeup. Probably before she came here. Her hair was even tied into a loose side braid.

She ushered me into my desk chair before turning on a blowdryer and setting to work on my hair. "So I'm going to curl your hair in loose curls ok? Then I'm going to do some light foundation and blush, not too much since you don't need it. We'll give your eyes that smokey look to make them pop."

Ummm ok like I knew what any of that meant. I didn't exactly do my makeup...ever. "Ok."

For the next hour and a half she curled my hair with curlers until my locks fell in a loose wave of curls all around me. Much to my chagrin she even used hairspray to make them hold their shape. Can I say that the stuff stinks like shit on meth? Don't ask me where I come up with this stuff cause I don't even know anymore.

Afterwards she doused my face in foundation and blush, not too much that it was heavy but enough to make my complextion look...smoother I guess. Dunno I'm not good at stuff like this.

She finished off my using a dark charcoal eyeshadow and liner on my eyelids, following up with mascara to make my lashes fuller.

"Ok get dressed!"

When she said get dressed it was more of her pulling the dress onto me...and messing with my boobs to make sure that they wouldn't fall out. The top hugged my chest until I almost looked like goddamn Dolly Parton or something! My tits looked huge in it!

When I said that to Mikeala she just told me that my boobs were huge. Then she shoved me onto my bed and slid my shoes on.

"Forceful much?" I grumbled.

She ignored me and started pulling her own dress and shoes on. "We're gonna be late if we don't hurry!"

"Mikeala Bee and Sunny can drive at like 200MPH and evade any cops chasing us no problem and you're worried about being late? Fuck the police no justice no peace!" I smacked my chest and pulled the peace sign.

She laughed. "Clare you're so weird!"

"Yeah well I'm the awesome kind of weird." I shrugged. While she finished dressing herself I was busy looking down at my arm and leg, or more specifically the marks on them. I never had them revealed at school because body art was against code. Hopefully I wouldn't get in trouble for it tonight.

"Ok! We're ready!"

I was dragged out of the room and down the stairs into the living room where Sam was standing with Jazz's holoform, another with pale skin and dark army cut hair that if I wasn't mistaken was Prowl, Sides' holoform, and Aunt Judy and Uncle Ron. Sunny was nowhere to be seen.

Everyone looked our way as we descended the stairs with Mikeala to the right and slightly in front of me. I saw Sides' eyes bug out comically during our approach. Sam's did too, but he was drooling over Mikeala.

I got self conscious and hugged my arms around my chest so that no one could see my boobs. Mikeala lightly smacked my head for that but I still didn't stop.

Sunny wasn't here...maybe he decided not to go last klik?

That possibility was all I could think about while Aunt Judy gushed over how pretty we both looked. I could see opi's optics dim a few times while he took soem still pictures. Uncle Ron had the same idea.

Right now he was snapping some pictures of Sam and Mikeala. I stood off to the side dejectedly. Sides came over to me. "What's wrong Clare?"

"Nothing. I just wouldn't have agreed to go...if I knew I was going alone."

He gave me an odd look. "Sunny's taking you."

"Well then where is he? I don't see him anywhere."

Sides smirked. "Oh he's outside grumping about having to stay in holform all night. He also doesn't like the black human garment he has to wear."

"Oh. Well I'm not really comfortable wearing this either." I admitted quietly.

"Why? You look beautiful in it."

Opi came over to us then dragging dad behind him. "Sides is righ' sparklet. Ya look beau'iful."

I blushed and looked down at the ground. My avoidance was short lived when the door opened causing everyone to look over to where Sunny was making his way in. All breath caught in my throat at how good he looked in his crisp black tux, gold sik tie, and black dress shoes. His hair was slightly neater than it normally was but not too much.

And he was glowering at everyone that he passed by.

Sides elbowed me. "Told ya so!" He smiled and moved to the side as Sunny closed the distance. Before he got too far away I noticed the way he frowned slightly around the edges of his smile.

Sunny stopped in front of me before I could say anything. His eyes roamed over me from head to toe lingering on my exposed leg and chest.

"Oooh Ron get some pictures of Clare and umm I forgot his name!" Aunt judy gushed.

Sunny scowled at her over his shoulder prior to being pushed forward by opi. Sides must have prompted him or something because he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled my back against his chest.

"Smile Clare!" Uncle Ron demanded.

I smiled shyly and held it until he had snapped several pictures.

Both him and opi forced Sunny and I through a few more poses, each one aggravating Sunny more than the last, until they had gotten their fill of them. I swear that Sunny had never dragged me out of anywhere that fast before.

"Have 'er on base by eleven at da latest Sunstreaker!" Opi called out before Sunny could close the door to his alt mode.

Sunny flipped him the bird before dispersing his nanites. His engine started up and he pulled out of the backyard with Bee following close behind us.

Well what was the worst thing that could happen when bringing your alien boyfriend to a school dance?

* * *

It was a little awkward sitting at a table in the corner with Sunny while Mikeala tried to teach Sam how to dance. Well watching that was kind of amusing since Sam kind of looked like a seizuring animal when he tried to shake it. More than a few times I got a laugh out of it.

Now if only I could figure out a way to not make things so awkward for us.

Sunny was sitting close to me, so close in fact that we were touching. He glared at anyone and anything that passed by especially the boys from school. Several of whom had given me such suggestive looks that I clamped my legs together so that the slit of my dress draped over my leg hiding it from view.

Sunny turned towards me when I slid closer to his side. "What's wrong?"

The last thing I wanted to do was incite his temper or possessive instincts. "Nothing."

He huffed. "What's the point of coming to this function anyways? We're just sitting here doing nothing while the humans make fools of themselves."

"Well I don't normally come to dances but we could try dancing. It might be fun."

A song that I recognized as _'The Reason'_ came on. I saw Sam and Mikeala start slow dancing to it like every other couple on the floor. The latter looked my way and motioned for me to come dance too.

Sunny noticed too and gifted her with a small scowl.

Drawing in a big breath and letting it out to clear my nerves helped ease my tension. "Wanna dance? It's better than sitting here."

He looked at me. "I don't know how humans dance."

I snorted. "Neither does Sam but he's out there dancing. Don't tell me that my cousin has more ball bearings than you."

"Femme I'll show you who has bearings." He growled.

A mental image of us in my room earlier made me feel all warm. Bad thoughts! Bad thoughts! Ugh now I was turning into a shy Mary Sue hussy! Was that even possible? "Come on Sunny. Slow dancing is easy I promise. If Sam can do it you can too!" I held my hand out for him to take, pulling him up I dragged him close to where Sam and Mikeala were.

We reached them, Sunny standing there unsure of what to do. It was actually kind of cute. "Here put your hands on my waist and hold me close ok?" I instructed calmly when inside I was a ball of nerves. This would be my first time slow dancing with a bo-mech...er anyone of the male variety.

He slowly cupped my waist in his large hands and pulled me flush against him. I slipped my hands around his neck and slowly started swaying us in a circle. Not too fast or hurried. We just stared at each other and slowly twirled around our small space to the soft lyrics of the song.

A soft smile tugged at the corners of my lips. "See? It's easy." I laid my head on his shoulder as a contented sigh escaped me. This was actually going better than I expected.

Being here in his arms doing something so small as slow dancing might seem insignificant, but with Sunny it was huge. The gentleness he held me with, the way he spun us around with hands that could crush bones easily. Yet here he was touching me soft as a feather. I loved it as much as I loved his gruff demeanor.

We danced to the rest of the song before another slow song came on. I didn't know the name of it. Nor did I care to think about it when we kept up our slow swaying. He hadn't stopped. I hadn't moved my head from his shoulder. It was like neither of us wanted to, and I knew that for me that was true. I could stay here for hours just like this. As cliche as that sounded.

"Hey Sunny?"

A soft grunt beckoned me to speak.

"Thank you for earlier." I buried my cheek more firmly against his chest. ""It felt nice."

"It's supposed to."

"I know but it wasn't just the way you touched me that felt good. It was the way that you respected me and what I was ready for, what I wanted. You could have pushed me for more than I was ready to give and my body probably would have responded. It would have felt good. Maybe I would have liked it even at the time. But you knew that emotionally I wasn't ready for more and you respected that. Most males wouldn't. It meant a lot to me."

He was silent for a moment. "You're welcome."

His hands wound their way into my curls to tug at them pulling my head back far enough that I could see his face. I leaned up to cup his cheek and kiss him without a care to who was watching. Nothing else even mattered to me right now. Not anyone watching. Not any of my issues. Not training. Not the war that I had been thrust into in a way. Nothing existed to me in that moment but him.

The kiss was slow and languid building with firm sensual caresses. He responded back with equal fervor. My spark hammered in my chest.

And then a shift in the music had me pulling back from the kiss. Was that...?

_**'**__**This time we're gonna get funky**_  
_**Everybody clap your hands**_  
_**Clap clap clap clap your hands**_  
_**Clap clap clap clap your hands'**_

I laughed as everyone got into a line including Mikeala and Sam. I tugged Sunny over to stand next to them. "This is a classic Sunny! Just follow the dance instructions ok?"

He gave me an odd look.

_**'This time we're gonna get funky**_  
_**Everybody clap your hands**_  
_**Clap clap clap clap your hands**_  
_**Clap clap clap clap your hands'**_

Mikeala and I easily slid through the motions while Sam fumbled a bit. Sunny just scowled like a grump and followed along surprisingly well.

_**'To the left**_  
_**Take it back now y'all**_  
_**One hop this time**_  
_**Right foot lets stomp**_  
_**Left foot lets stomp**_  
_**Cha cha now y'all'**_

We slid to the left, took it back. Hopped forward one time! Stomped right! Stomped left! Then shook it slow. All while Sunny and Sam watched us like we were crazy. But hey we were actually having fun! I liked the Cha Cha Shuffle!

_**'Now it's time to get funky'**_

Mikeala and I moved into the next series of moves leaving our dates to try and keep up. Sunny since he didn't know them, and Sam because he was well...Sam.

_**'To the right**_  
_**To the left**_  
_**Take it back now y'all**_  
_**One hop this time, one hop this time**_  
_**Right foot two stomps**_  
_**Left foot two stomps**_  
_**Slide to the left**_  
_**Slide to the right**_  
_**Criss cross, criss cross**_  
_**Cha cha real smooth'**_

"What is the point of this dance?" Sunny asked over the music.

"It's supposed to be fun!" I laughed happily. The best part was coming up!

_**'Hands on your knees, hands on your knees**_  
_**How low can you go**_  
_**All the way to the floor**_  
_**Like you never never stopped**_  
_**Can you bring it to the top**_  
_**Like you never never stopped'**_

I took it all the way down to the floor unlike Mikeala who could only go to her knees. She cheered me on as I cranked myself back up without using my hands. Sunny actually gaped at me though he tried to hide it quickly.

The rest went by in a blur of fun and writhing bodies. I tried to teach Sam and Sunny how to take it low, the former fell on his face and the latter outright refused. Oh well we had fun doing the shuffle anyways.

Afterwards I was slightly out of breath so I left to get something from the refreshment table. Sunny stayed with Sam and Mikeala while I snuck off.

I got some punch even though I didn't like punch really, but it was all they had. Sipping at it my eyes locked on Sam talking to Sunny across the room, or he was trying to. Sunny seemed to be ignoring him in favor of staring at me. I waved and downed the rest of my drink.

As soon as I went to return to where I had left the others things went south. One step was all I got to take before a familiar arm slung itself around my shoulders. I looked to the side to see who it was and cringed.

Trent. With that same stupid grin on his face.

"Hey Clare." He purred.

It nearly made me gag. "Let go of me Trent. I don't need you harassing me tonight."

"It's not harassment if you want it sweetheart."

Ugh gag me now! "Let go of me right now." I growled dangerously. Even if I was technically a bot and thus not allowed to seriously harm humans that did not mean that I could not use the lessons the femmes gave me to kick Trent's ass. Sunny would do worse if he was feeling up to it anyways!

A firm grope on my ass made me gasp. He completely disregarded me and freaking groped me?! "You have a nice ass Clare." He breathed.

His breath smelled of alcohol. Great he was drunk and drunk as I had found out for myself...meant stupid. "Trent take your hands off of me right now or my boyfriend is going to kick your ass!"

My eyes shot around seeking out said boy...mechfriend, only to find him storming over to where I was, Mikeala and Sam racing after him. He did not look happy either. Trent tightened his hand forcing me to grab his wrist and yank it away.

Unfortunately I did not give much thought to the fact that my action caused Sunny to see where Trent had been touching me. And he looked absolutely livid when he reached us.

I shoved Trent aside so that I could intercept my enraged mech before he did serious damage. "Sunny calm down."

**:This pathetifc meatsack touched you!:**

His outraged snarled echoed through the comm. link. **:I know.:**

**:No meatsack is going to put their filthy servos all over you!: **

**:Sunny we're not allowed to hurt people. Please calm down!:** I pleaded with him. This was the last thing that I wanted to happen! He could get in trouble for this if I wasn't able to stop him!

"Is this your boyfriend Clare?"

"Shut up Trent! Go the hell away!"

Instead of listening Trent stumbled into me hands coming down to the front of my thighs. He rubbed at me making me shudder in disgust. "I can...I can do you better than he can I bet."

That was the absolute last straw for Sunny.

With a murderous snarl he tugged me away from Trent and sent his fist flying into my own personal stalker's face.

Trent went flying into the food table snapping it in half even, food and juice ended up spilling all over him. Other students who were nearby screamed and ran, others laughed. Me? I was torn between wanting to laugh at how hilarious Trent looked covered in crap, and wanting to yell at Sunny for assaulting him.

Instead I did neither, I grabbed his arm and tugged him out of the gymnasium. I didn't stop, he didn't protest either as I dragged him out of the school. We made it to his alt mode and hopped inside of it.

He let his holoform disperse before pulling out of the lot.

We drove in silence to the airport where soldiers strapped Sunny down before loading him onto the plane.

Nothing was said the entire flight even. I didn't even let my acrophobia bother me as I sat there contemplating everything that had happened.

When the plane landed Sunny veered away from the base instead of going back like we were supposed to. Well in all fairness the dance didn't end for at least another hour so we weren't due back for a while. So we could get away with it.

He drove us to the small oasis we liked to frequent together where he let me out.

I walked to the edge of the water while he transformed. It was silent as I stared at my reflection.

His peds clomped against the ground with each step that he took towards me, the sound all we could hear over the songs of the night wildlife.

A sigh escaped me as I slipped my heels off and dipped my foot into the pool. I wasn't mad at him per se, but I just hoped that Optimus or dad didn't punish him too badly for defending me. Sunny was possessive and more protective than even I given him credit for in the beginning. Those that he cared for were well looked after by him. That pretty much only consisted of Sides and myself.

His EM field brushed against mine as he stopped behind me.

"I'm not mad." I told him honestly. "Trent deserved what you gave him."

A snort. "I know. That's why I did it."

Moving through my HUD I selected my TCOG and activated my transformation sequence. My dress was subspaced along with my shoes as my nanite skin matter shifted into my cybertanium armor plates. I turned towards him seating myself on the ground where I patted the space next to me invitingly.

Swiftly moving forward he gracefully slid down next to me scowl still in place.

We found ourselves sitting here quite often, usually when Sunny raged about something and needed some quiet time. Either Sides or I would come here with him. I valued the times he allowed me to come greatly. Now was different only in the fact that he had brought me here instead of me having to follow him.

Now what to say? Be truthful? Open? That was how I always was.

"I had fun before Trent ruined it you know?" I scooted closer and placed a servo on his thigh rubbing small circles on the plating. "Especially when I got you to do the Cha Cha shuffle." I giggled when he frowned at me. "You were good though. It surprised me."

My helm fell against his leg where I rubbed my cheek against it affectionately. I wasn't going to let myself feel embarrassed to the point that I pulled back right now. He made today a wonderful day despite how it ended and I wanted to show him how much I appreciated it with gentle touches and whatever else he let me steal.

"You made today nice from the start even if you may think that you ruined it. You didn't. You stuck up for me, showed that you were possessive of me. Even more you proved that you had a desire to protect me. I appreciate all of that. It makes me feel like you actually care. Maybe I'm weird for liking those things. Maybe I'm weird for finding you more attractive for knocking Trent through a table...but honestly despite having to leave the dance early I wouldn't have changed anything. I wouldn't have gone with anyone else if I had a chance to do it over again knowing all that would happen. Because going with you made it special."

One of his servos slipped down my back making me shiver and look up. He was staring at me with a rare intensity not often seen in him in regards to anything but his appearance or when he was angry at somebot. I didn't know what to make of it.

"And...on the plus side I did get still pictures of Trent unconscious to spread all over the school on Monday." I added distractedly. At this point I wasn't even sure if he was paying any attention to what I was saying. Honestly I wouldn't care if he was or not because the look in his optics was making my insides flutter like crazy.

Sliding one servo up I used my electromagnetic manipulator to scale his armor all the way up to his face. He leaned down and met my kiss halfway with a demanding one of his own. His servos held me to his chassis tightly while our lips moved over one another's roughly.

He rubbed up and down my back struts and aft with firm caresses that made me shiver from helm to ped. I was reminded of what had happened in my bedroom earlier, of what Mikeala had interrupted. I was shocked to discover that my body was reacting to a need to feel that gratification again. Only this time I didn't want to fight it as much.

I pulled away to worry my bottom lip between my metal denta. "Umm Sunny can I..." My glossa flicked out over my lips quickly. Not that they could get dry or anything since they were made of metal. The movement was more to steady my nerves which were raging. No one could ever call me a hussy huh? Ya know since I got so nervous about moving past making out when I had already done it before. "Can I finish...what I started earlier?"

His optics widened ever so slightly in surprise.

I licked my lips again breath hitching in my vents. "It doesn't seem fair I mean...that you gave me my first overload and I did nothing in return. I mean...if you want me to I can. I'm a little nervous about it but I want to."

His response was a loud snap of a particular piece of plating.

My spark jumped in anticipation and fear. This would be my first time seeing a spike...and when he lowered me down I was faced with something I had only heard about from my impromptu sex ed with Ratchet.

It started out much larger with cables surrounding a metal piston, its shape was humanoid. Gradually cables shifted back into his array decreasing the size to what was still a very large size. Possibly twelve or thirteen inches. The cables themselves were a pale gray, the piston was a dark bronze color. Each cable seemed to twitch individually around the piston...beckoning to be touched. It was like nothing I had ever imagined.

My valve clenched suddenly feeling very empty and it disconcerted me that seeing a spike could have that effect on me. It almost mortified my poor little virgin mind. I was not going to interface...I was just going to touch it with my servos.

_'I'm just going to touch it with my servos. I'm just going to touch it with my servos.' _I repeated the phrase like a mantra as I reached out and gently slid my digits over it causing him to jerk and hiss. My servos whipped back so fast it looked like I had been burned.

"It's ok baby. Keep going." He practically demanded.

"I've just never...is it ok? Did-did I hurt you?"

"No. You barely even touched me."

Was that supposed to be a good thing or a bad thing? "Ummm..."

"Just please don't start only to stop now."

Ok. I could do this. I could do this. It was just a...oh god it was a hand job! I was going to give him a hand job! No way was I going to back out now though...

It took me a moment to steady myself for what I was going to do, and once I managed to I reached out and gently grasped it in both servos. He jerked again less noticably encouraging my actions. I grasped it firmly and pumped avoiding optic contact with him while he watched me.

He groaned softly a few times, just as often touching my helm while I worked him up and down. At one point my nerves got the better of me and I squeezed him inadvertantly sinking my claws between the cables. He jerked and moaned interface array sparking violently.

I went to jerk back only for him to hiss at me. "Don't stop!"

So I didn't stop. I continued stroking him, in a way pleasuring myself by doing it. My movements were still jittery due to my nerves but I was sort of enjoying this. As soon as I was done I would no doubt go back to being too embarrassed to instigate this again for a while. I knew myself well enough to know that.

The piston in the center started pumping in and out in time with the small thrusts of his hips. The cables started swelling with some blue fluid starting from the bottom and slowly working its way up. Sparks increased every inch that the fluid moved up the cables before disappearing into the head near the piston.

It all came screeching to an end when the marks on my servo suddenly sparked out of nowhere. The sparks from my frame bled into those leaking from his array intensifying them until it felt like the air around us was super charged.

And then Sunny arched with a loud roar as the cables tightened, piston screaming as the blue fluid shot out from the creases where it disappeared into the main body.

Transfluid sprayed all over me soaking me. For the love of pit he produced a lot of it! It took him several long astroseconds to stop spewing it all over me. And when he did he slumped down with a sigh of relief. Until his optics landed on me covered in his robo jizz.

Against all odds he actually managed to look apologetic AND satiated. "Sorry baby."

"S'okay. Umm was it...ok?" Why I was asking that when I was covered in transfluid even I did not know. But for some reason having an answer to that was more important than cleaning myself off.

He raised an optic ridge at me. "If it wasn't good I wouldn't have gotten off."

"Sunny do you have to say it like that?" With a huff I stood and marched past him to wash myself off in the pool behind him. God, Primus, all of the above...what was going on in his helm sometimes? In that big...handsome golden helm of his.

A soft grunt was his answer.

I finished washing myself off and stood. "Well we should get back."

"Yeah we should."

I hesitated briefly... Did this change things between us a lot? Should I ask him?

There were so many things that had changed lately...maybe I should wait to ask.

Yes I would wait. Best not to spoil the moment.

Little did I know that things were about to change a lot more soon.

* * *

R&amp;R! Sorry but the limeade had to happen. I'm just in one of those moods. Besides it wasn't anything too descriptive. Honestly most kids do things way sooner than three months in so Clare doing a HJ isn't that OOC. Hope you enjoyed it! I DO NOT OWN THE SONGS OR LYRICS THEY BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS! I'M JUST USING THEM FOR THE STORY!

**Miyukumu**\- She will be don't worry! And it's coming soon!

**Coolgal02**\- Lol well have fun with Pulse. And yes Skids and Mudflap are stupid but that's what makes them funny! As for Prowl there's not much that he can do since Optimus made the decision. He has to live with it.

**Moonlightdeer**\- Thanks I will!

**HeartsGuardianSol**\- Yeah she's devious playing off of Sunny's possessive instincts lol. It was still funny though! As for making Prowl glitch well Clare is Clare, and Prowl is Prowl so yeah. And Sides' time is coming soon! Real soon!

**Izzy-dragon-rider**\- With how Clare is I couldn't have imagined the Prowl introduction any other way lol. I did fix Hound's coloring if you want to go back and reread it. For some reason he looked silver to me not green but after going back I realized that I made it wrong. And yes the mini twins introduction was awesome.

**DarkshadowXsunny-sides**\- Nope still no Sides but it is coming I promise! Just keep checking in and you'll see! As for medical conditions Sides, Skids, Mudflap, Blur, and Bluestreak must all have ADHD. Seriously. LMAO!


	19. Chapter 19

Argh now I have to review in advance thanks to Silent Shooter! Anyways here we are! Things are picking up in the story. I'm actually torn between two different plot twists right now which is a bitch. Argh! Anyways I'm not gonna carry on too much! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

It was Saturday afternoon and I had just gotten out of training with Arcee and Flareup. The first thing that I wanted to do was find Sunny but no matter where I looked I couldn't find him. He had patrol this morning but they should have been back by now.

I stalked through the living quarters towards my room.

My thoughts were consuming me so much that I did not hear the sounds coming from inside. I got a shocking surprise when the doors slid open.

My creators were...fragging. Dad had opi bent over the berth...and I didn't need to repeat what they were doing. Thankfully the bond was dulled down so I backed away without even making a sound before they noticed me.

Ok so I wasn't going to go in there for a while. Maybe the twins were in their room? It wouldn't hurt me to check it out so I started in that direction.

I hadn't seen either twin all day, not even before their morning patrol. It was like they were avoiding me. Well that was about to end right now!

As I approached the twin's room I heard yelling coming from inside. Probably Sides getting mad at a video game or something. At least I thought so at first, but when I heard Sunny yelling back it gave me reason to stop in my tracks. Sunny and Sides yelling? At each other? The former never yelled at a video game so it had to be.

My peds carried me closer to the door where the sounds of yelling and roaring resonated from. The loudest coming from Sides surprisingly.

"I just don't understand how much longer you want to put me through this! How much longer do you want to make me wait!?" Sides yelled. Whatever they were fighting about was serious if they were screaming at each other like this instead of using bond talk.

"As long as it takes!" Sunny snapped back.

"And how do you know you're getting anywhere?! Have you asked her?!"

Her? Ask who what? What were they even talking about? I pressed my audio against the door to get a better listen. Snooping wasn't my thing but I had to know what had them fighting like this.

"No! I just don't understand why you can't wait just this once! It's always me that has to wait! It's always me that has to deal with the rejection!"

"Rejection?! Sunny since when have either of us ever really cared about that?! Femmes are femmes right? That's what you always say! You never cared as long as you got fragged!"

I winced at Sides' sharp accusation. Was that really how Sunny was before? And what was this fight all about anyways? I didn't understand what had started it! Maybe an old femmefriend or something? That thought unsettled me as much as the idea of Sunny being rejected seemed asinine. Who would ever reject him? Pit who would ever reject either of them?

"You know that's not true! It's just that whenever I care it's never as good as what you feel! They only ever care about you! Everybot cares about you and not me unless I'm fragging them!"

"Sunny...that's not true." I murmured brokenly. It may not mean much but I cared about him. I thought that he knew that, that it made a difference. Maybe I was wrong.

"I call bullshit on that! I call bullshit on all of it! Just because you can't see what's right in front of you doesn't mean that I can't! If you keep living in the past you'll never be able to move on! It's not fair to Clare either!"

Not fair to me? What was that supposed to mean? Sides sounded so mad.

"She's my problem not your's! You only care because you want her to fawn over you! You want to take her from me and keep her for yourself! And you know once that happens she'll forget all about me!"

I stumbled back away from the door in shock. They were fighting over me?! Why?! They should care more about each other than fighting over me! I stood there trembling anxiously, inner turmoil eating at me. Why? Why?!

Why would Sunny think that about me?! And Sides...was this why he was suffering so much? Because Sunny wouldn't share me? Since when had both wanted me anyways?! I just didn't understand any of it!

I mean I knew that split sparks had to share a mate but... Well I just assumed that Sides didn't want me so it wasn't an issue. And as much as that had hurt me...to realize that Sunny and I had no real future together, it had not stopped me from caring for him as much as I was able. Which admittedly was a lot more than I thought possible at first. I was positive that...I was falling in love with him. Maybe I was just naive and young but he made me feel happier than ever.

What was I supposed to do? March in and tell them to stop fighting? Demand answers? Or walk away and pretend that I never heard the fight in the first place? This was all just too much to take in! Just yesterday I had moved into the next step of my relationship with Sunny and now I found out that Sides wanted me too? And worse was that Sunny knew and hid it from me? In effect hurting them both?

My spark swelled with sudden anger. Just because-just because I cared about him did not mean that he had the right to keep something like this from me! I would never treat one of them better than the other! Why would he think that about me?!

Angry energon tears welled up in my optics before spilling down my cheeks. They caused my vision to blur almost to the point that I couldn't see what was right in front of me. I did hear the angry peds storming towards the door, though I had no time to move before it slid open.

Sides was the one that stormed out in a rush freezing in place when he almost stepped on me.

I jumped back and took off down the hall as fast as I could.

"Clare wait!" He called after me.

There was a loud commotion coming from their doorway but I paid it no mind. It never occurred to me to stop fleeing and talk to them. Nor did it ever occur to me that they would chase me. I never even thought to look behind me and see.

"Clare!" This time it was Sunny who yelled for me.

The sounds of peds pounding down the hall behind me forced me into a frenzy. I pushed myself as hard as I could. Running as fast as my frame could handle. Systems protesting and overheating until I started burning inside. My HUD started flashing red warning me that I was overheating. I didn't care.

I didn't care enough to stop. Unfortunately the world chose to stop me by placing a wall of solid metal in front of me. I slammed into it sending pain shooting through all of my sensors as I went sprawling to the floor.

Ironhide was staring down at me in surprise. "Are you ok Clare?"

"Clare!"

My body tensed a whine of distress building up in my chassis. I leapt up only to fall back down when my relays locked from my elevated temperature. I was in the red. Still I tried to move away from their approach as fruitless as the attempt was.

Salvation came when Ironhide picked me up just as the twins came bounding up to us. The large black mech glared at both of them as he cradled me in his arms like a sparkling. "What did you two do to her?" He hissed.

"We...she heard us fighting about something and she got upset." Sides explained. He inched forward carefully snapping back when Ironhide growled at him. "We just need to talk to her."

"I think you've talked enough to make her red line."

Now that he mentioned it I was burning alive from the inside out. It was not pleasant. It hurt. My entire frame rattled with each breath through my vents. They even sounded rickety and faulty. Ratchet was going to be slagged off.

"Just hand her over!" Sunny demanded. "We only wanna talk to her!"

"No I think not. Until you can get it together you can stay far away." With that Ironhide turned and started in the opposite direction.

Before we were out of hearing range I heard one last soft plea. "Clare please..."

Surprisingly enough it came from Sunny not Sides. Even more surprising was how I forced myself not to respond. I didn't even look back at them. It was me. All this time it was me forcing them apart.

And all because Sunny didn't trust me like I trusted him. It was this revelation that had caused me so much pain. But I didn't want to think about it.

Ironhide kept glancing down at me during the trip to the med bay but he said nothing. I was grateful for it since I didn't want to talk either. I didn't say a damn thing even when we walked into the med bay where Ratchet shot us a glare upon entering.

It softened into a look of concern when I didn't make any remarks to anger him further. He gestured for Ironhide to sit me on a berth so that he could examine me. Hide did so then took up a post near the door like a guard.

Ratchet looked me over carefully grimacing at the sounds my vents were making. "You overheated. What caused this to happen?"

"Nothing."

The weakness of the answer clearly startled him. "Nothing? Nothing does not make a femme overheat until she's red lining."

I only shrugged.

Now he looked really concerned. "Well Clare as long as you rest and do not strain yourself you should be fine. Your systems suffered no lasting damage."

"Ok." So just lay here? Fine. I'd lay here all day and sulk.

I didn't notice both mechs share a worried look bordering on anger until Ironhide stormed out of the med bay. Then I looked up at where he had been and saw that he was gone. All I did was roll over onto my side facing away from the door where I planned on staying until Ratchet let me leave the med bay.

Afterwards I was going to spend the rest of the night in my room tucked away from the world. At least until I figured out what I wanted to say to the twins. Especially Sunny. It may seem small and unimportant but what I had found out really hurt me. Badly.

I didn't know how I was going to face him now. Either of them. All this time we could have all happy together. Sharing experiences with one another. Instead thanks to Sunny I had inadvertantly created tension and disharmony between them. What was worse was that all I had done was not know the entirety of the situation. At some point I had to apologize to Sides.

I heard the med bay door open and close before the room went silent. Ratchet must have left to refuel since it was midday. It felt strangely comfortable without him in here.

For roughly ten kliks I laid on the berth thinking about everything that had happened. All of it. Ratchet hadn't come back in that time and neither had Ironhide. My stiff frame seemed to be begging me to move. With a small groan I rolled onto my back and stretched as much as I could. You wouldn't think that it hurt but it did. Tense and stiff relays not wanting to cooperate after the shock to my systems from red lining. That was my guess anyways.

The med bay doors slid open barely half a klik after I moved. My optics shot over to the door fully expecting to land on Ratchet or somebot else... Instead I was met with the sight of the last two bots that I wanted to see right now. The twins.

Both stepped into the room after hitting the locking mechanism on the door. I would have sat up in alarm if I could, but my frame just groaned when I attempted it. Twin grimaces morphed their features telling me that they had heard it too.

Sunny approached my berth first while Sides hovered a bit behind him. "Clare can...can I at least explain everything before you decide never to talk to me again?"

All the things I could think to say to that off the top of my helm flew right out the window in the face of what I did say. "Why did you think that I would be like every other whore?"

He flinched back obviously startled by my anger and the words that had manifested from it. "I didn't think that."

"You did. A whore uses the way you expected me to use you!"

"Clare..." Sides frowned at me. "That isn't what he meant."

There was too much anger in me to allow me to listen to what Sides said. I was on a roll now. I was angry and hurt. On top of that I had a tendency to say exactly what was on my mind and damn the consequences. "What did he mean? What was the point in lying to me?"

"I never-"

"You did! Everytime I asked you if Sides was ok you lied to make sure that I didn't know what was really going on! And here I thought that maybe you trusted me a little bit!"

"I do!"

"No you don't! If you did then you would have never kept the secret from me! Sunny why?! Did I really give you the impression that I was someone that would pick favorites between you two? I would never do that!"

"I know-"

"Obviously you don't know because you still expected me to do it! I don't understand what you wanted to happen here! Did you want me to keep growing more attached to you thinking that nothing real could ever come out of it?"

Both of them gave me an odd look. "What is that supposed to mean?"

I nearly exploded. "IDIOTS! YOU'RE BOTH IDIOTS! YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! YOU'RE SPLIT SPARK TWINS! THAT MEANS THAT I CAN'T TECHNICALLY JUST TAKE ONE AND IT'LL ALL WORK OUT! ANYONE THAT WANTS TO BE WITH ONE HAS TO TAKE THE OTHER AS WELL! YOU FREAKING KNOW THAT!"

A look of understanding passed through twin sets of optics. "We know that but-"

I cut Sides off with another tirade. "YEAH YOU KNEW THAT AND YET YOU BOTH LIED! I THOUGHT THAT AS MUCH AS I CARED IT WOULDN'T BE GOOD ENOUGH BECAUSE IN THE END THE TWO OF US COULD NOT BOND! WE COULDN'T BE MORE THAN JUST AN ORDINARY COUPLE! AND YOU KNOW WHAT? EVEN KNOWING THAT I STILL GAVE YOU EVERYTHING I COULD! I GAVE YOU EVERYTHING I WAS ABLE TO AND YOU FUCKING LIED TO ME!"

By the end of my tirade I was focused almost entirely on Sunny causing him to grimace. He looked like he was getting angry as well but I didn't care. I was too slagged off to care!

"IF I DIDN'T FUCKING CARE ABOUT YOU I WOULD NOT HAVE LET YOU TOUCH ME!" I practically shrieked. "IF I DIDN'T CARE I WOULD NEVER HAVE TOUCHED YOU EITHER! FUCKING AROUND ISN'T SOMETHING THAT I TAKE LIGHTLY AND YOU KNOW IT!"

"Baby please calm down."

"NO! I JUST DON'T GET YOU! USE YOU IN THE BERTH? DROP YOU LIKE YOU'RE WORTHLESS? THAT'S WHAT I GOT FROM THAT LITTLE ARGUMENT I OVERHEARD! YOU EXPECTED THAT FROM ME? SUNNY IF I WANTED TO USE YOU I WOULD HAVE FUCKED YOU AND DUMPED YOU ALREADY! I WOULDN'T HAVE CONTINUED PUTTING UP WITH THE LESS DESIRABLE ASPECTS OF YOUR PERSONALITY BECAUSE GUESS WHAT!" I waited for him to answer me, to say something but he didn't say a single word. Good. Cause I probably would have cut him off anyways. "NOTHING WOULD HAVE BEEN MAKING ME STAY! I WOULD'VE JUST ACTED THE PART OF A WHORE AND SPREAD MY FREAKING LEGS! BUT I DIDN'T! I DON'T HAVE TO! I STAY BECAUSE OF THE THINGS THAT I FEEL AND NOTHING ELSE! WHAT THE HELL ELSE DO I HAVE TO STAY FOR? WE'RE NOT FRAGGING! SO HOW CAN I EVEN BE CONTEMPLATING USING YOU FOR THAT WHEN I'VE NEVER EVEN DONE ANYTHING LIKE THAT?!"

"Clare you're going to red line again." Sides warned me.

It was true that I could feel the head building up inside of me again. Sensing this I made myself calm down a bit.

"Are you done now? Can I talk?"

"Shoot."

"Clare I know that you're angry at me for keeping things from you."

"Damn right!"

Sunny frowned. "I know that you're angry but I had a reason for it."

"You better."

His frown deepened mouth opening several times like he wanted to say something but couldn't decide what. Eventually he gritted his denta together in frustration. "My reason for keeping it from you was selfish. I know that, but Clare look at it from my perspective. I'm an afthole, we all know it. Sides is the complete opposite of me, open and affectionate. Can't you see why I acted the way I did when you put all of these things together?"

I shook my helm no. Why would I see anything when I didn't compare them like it was a contest? Sides was Sides. Sunny was Sunny. They were who they were and I was ok with that. They were one person in two bodies, two aspects of one person down to the different personalities. There was one mech in two bodies. If anyone wanted to get technical you couldn't like one more than the other-!

My optics widened as a realization dawned on me making me look at Sunny in a new light. He was scared that I would like Sides more than him! That was why he kept Sides' feelings for me a secret! Because he felt like he wouldn't measure up where it counts. "Sunny...you idiot." I sighed and forced my body closer to his so that I could touch one of his clenched servos. "If you had told me earlier I would have cleared this all up you know?"

"Cleared what up baby?"

"This whole mess! I would never have let it get this far." How stupid was I? If I had paid more effort in terms of fixing this and not being so wrapped up in my own infatuation this never would have happened. If I had only said something sooner.

"You two may be different personality wise but that's not a bad thing."

They both cocked their helms at me adorably. "It's not?" Sides questioned.

"No. I can see why Sunny felt the need to keep how you felt a secret from me Sides, but I wouldn't have picked a favorite. There are things that I like about you both equally...I like that you're different. It means that, well it means that I have to stay on my toes when around you two which I enjoy doing. I like the challenge of adapting to both of your mood swings. I don't mind raising pit with you Sides, nor do I mind sitting and talking with you Sunny...even when you're in a mood and being an aft."

"It's your flaws that make you who you are, and me not being able to accept one of you means that I'm not just asking that one to change it means that I'm asking you both to change. If I asked Sunny to not be an aft all the time it would be like me asking him not to be Sunny, and in a way it would be like me asking you both not to be who you are. You're a part of each other. One can't change alone, both have to."

Sides slid towards me with hopeful optics. "So you really don't mind how he is? You don't mind how we both are?"

I shook my helm. "No of course not. I accept you both no matter what and I would never pick favorites or ask either of you to change. That would be selfish of me." I ducked my helm down with an embarrassed blush speaking without looking up. "I like you both how you are. Equally. If either of you had asked I would have told you that."

Movement right in front of me had me looking back up. Sideswipe was right in front of me wearing a wide genuine smile on his face. So different from his normal teasing smirks and my spark sped up slightly in response.

He leaned forward with a soft purr until he was inches from my face.

I hesitated briefly glancing over his shoulder at Sunny who looked less tense than before. "Sides? Umm what are you doing?"

"Kissing you." The words were barely out of his mouth before his lips slammed onto mine.

I squeaked in surprise at the sudden action. Ok what to do? Did this mean that Sunny was done being an aft? If I kissed Sides back was he going to throw a glitch fit? It was hard to keep track of my thoughts when Sides' lips were coaxing me to respond.

And they were so soft, even softer than Sunny's were. Smooth too. After a brief contemplation I decided to just kiss him back. What was the worst thing that could happen?

I did keep the contact brief however. Just a soft sensual kiss. Then I pulled back and was gifted when he caressed my cheek. "Umm no one is going to throw a fit about that right?"

Sunny obviously knew that I was talking about him because he snorted. "No."

Relieved did not even cover how I felt when he gave me the answer I wanted. "Good cause I don't wanna have to deal with two jealous mechs fighting over who gets kisses or not. Now come over here so I can give you one too."

My golden mech rolled his optics but obliged me by moving closer so that I could plant one on him. I lingered just a few astroseconds longer than I had with Sides before pulling back to scowl at him. "But if you ever do something this stupid again I will make good on my threat to beat you in the face with a baseball bat!"

Sides laughed. "Better watch out Sunny or Clare's going to beat your face in with a baseball bat!" He mocked.

"Shut up Sides."

I giggled at both of them. "So umm are the three of us going to...?" The implication was left hanging in the air.

"Date?" Sides guessed with a grin. "Pit yeah! If I have to wait any longer I'm going to glitch!"

"Sunny?"

Sunny scowled. "Fine. But I'm holding you to what you said baby."

"Ok. I promise to honor what I said." Inside I was getting all giddy and excited like I was walking on a cloud. They were both mine! I didn't have to worry about acting on my feelings for either of them anymore! I could do it whenever I wanted to!

The three of us just sat there staring at each other Sides with a huge grin that usually meant he was going to do something either stupid or silly. He suddenly grabbed a hold of me and spun me around laughs escaping from us both.

He tugged Sunny into a three way hug which he protested. Sides shut him up with a well placed smack to the helm forcing him to relent and hug both of us. It was kind of awkward being so small and squished between them, but in felt more right than anything.

A soft happy purr resonated from each of us. I was happy being right where I was.

Unfortunately we all forgot where we were so when the doors beeped indicating that someone was trying to get in we all tensed. Uh oh.

The door slid open revealing a scowling Ratchet. "What are you two doing in my med bay?"

The twins shifted slightly to shield me in case Ratchet went to belt any of us with a wrench. D'awwww they were so protective!

"Talking to Clare." Sides answered him cautiously.

"After Ironhide told you to stay away." It was a statement not a question, spoken with a rapidly growing glare.

"Yes." Sunny growled.

"Give me one good reason that I should not reformat you into a toaster."

I stifled a laugh due to the ridiculous mental image that comment engineered. I'll enlighten you though! It was me walking down into my kitchen early one morning, and there sitting on the counter were two toasters with pretty little blue optics on the side. One was red, and one was gold, and the gold one was scowling at the world.

**Mental scenario:**

**'**_**Good morning Sunny! Morning Sides!' I chirped as I grabbed a bagel from the cupboard and stuck it into the slits on top of Sunny.**_

_**'Hey!' He protested. 'You can't make a bagel in me!' **_

_**'Oh yes I can! You are a toaster formatted to toast things! I want some toasted bagel therefore I will toast it in you!'**_

_**'Ooooh she's using you to toast her buns Sunny!' Sides snickered.**_

_**'Shut up Sides.'**_

**End mental scenario.**

The image was too much for me to contain my hysterical laughter. My laughter drawing attention from all three mechs in the room. Their gazes burned into the back of my helm as I doubled over as much as I could when pressed between both mechs.

"What are you laughing at?"

"I...Sunny...toaster! My buns!" I choked out in response to Sides' question. Doubted that he could understand what I was saying but hey! It was all that I could manage right now!

They all shared a look...

"She's crazy." The twins muttered.

Well who was I to argue with that?

* * *

Later that afternoon I sat in the twin's room with them nestled in Sides' lap. He was clinging to me like crazy, cuddling me at every given opportunity, and refusing to give me to Sunny even when I wanted to switch holds. His excuse was that Sunny had already had almost three months to cuddle and be affectionate with me, without him being able to join in. So for today he got as many free cuddles as he wanted. I guess. Sunny didn't seem like he minded much, probably because I had tried to cuddle with him too.

"So why did you come to our room earlier?" Sides questioned. Right now we were playing Alien Isolation for the XBOX ONE. Well he was playing it not me. Freaking terrifying game.

Oh right I had walked in on my creators fragging earlier. Just thinking about what I had seen made me blush. "Well I got sexed out of house and home."

"Sexed?"

"Err fragged out of house and home. Does that make more sense?"

The game paused abruptly. "You walked in on Prowl and Jazz fragging?"

I looked up at Sides and he was grinning widely. "Umm yes." Was-was that like weird or something? Well of course it was kind of weird walking in on your parents screwing but Sides looked way interested for some reason. "Why?"

"Did you take pictures so that we could post them all over base?"

My jaw dropped as I spluttered. "NO! SIDES THAT IS SO GROSS! WHY WOULD I EVER DO THAT TO MY PARENTS?!"

He pouted. "No fun."

Sunny smacked him over the back of the helm. "Are you trying to get a first class trip to the brig as soon as Prowl finishes having it built?"

Sides didn't respond and it gave me the impression that he was thinking over all of the ramifications of what Sunny had said. I just shook my helm at him in amusement and cuddled closer to him.

Both of his servos cupped around me as a gentle purring started in his chassis.

A sudden idea struck me! All three of us were dating now so maybe a game to get to know each other was in order! Better yet two truths and one lie was a great way to do that! Even better was the fact that I was not wasted and therefore could actually write things that made sense!

I nodded resolutely to myself. "Who wants to do two truths and one lie part two?"

Sides cocked his helm at me. "You want to play it again?"

"Sure. I'm not drunk so the things I say might actually make sense!"

He actually snickered. "Yeah maybe. We already know that you're a femme, and that you don't have a spike."

An embarrassed groan escaped me. "You get wasted and say a few embarrassing things one time and all of a sudden that's all you're about."

They both laughed at me.

"Are we gonna play or not?"

"Sure."

Ok! Jeez all they had to say was that in the first place! I took a pad of paper and three pens out from my subspace before ripping off nine pieces from the pad to write on. Passing out three pieces and a pen to each of us we all turned away and started writing on the pages.

I thought long and hard about what I wanted to say before scribbling it down onto my pieces of paper. Once I was finished I folded them into tiny squares and snatched up the XBOX ONE box that Sides still had on his table for some reason.

We all faced each other and tossed our squares into the box. "Who wants to read?"

Sides eagerly raised his arm. "Me! Ooooh me!"

"Ok Sides!" I passed the box over with a giggle.

He snatched it up and rummaged through it grabbing one of the squares closest to the bottom. His optics were bright with excitement as he opened the slip to read it. "When I was little I pushed someone off of a bridge."

That one was mine...and I choked down a laugh to keep fom giving myself away.

They cocked their helms towards each other as they communed over the twin bond, probably to make sure that neither of them had done something like that. After a moment they both turned towards me with raised optic ridges. "Who did you push off of a bridge?"

"Sam. And there was a river underneath so he didn't go splat onto anything. Too bad he couldn't swim at the time so I had to jump in and save him from drowning."

"Poor Sam...poor organic has no chance against a femme bot." Sides shook his helm at me his attempt at hiding his amusement was pathetic.

I chuckled. "He deserved it."

Sunny took the chance to pull me onto his lap. "He is annoying... If Optimus hadn't banned us from harming humans I would push him off of a bridge."

We both ignored that comment in favor of continuing the game. Sides drew another slip from the box and read it. "I'm a pisces...I think. What's a piesces?"

"It means that my birthday is in February. My Aunt and Uncle don't know my real birthday so they just celebrate it every year on the day that they found me on their doorstep, which happens to be February nineteenth."

Sides looked at me sadly. "That's your spark orn?"

"It's the one that I go by." I shrugged. The knowledge that my birthday was not based on the actual day of my birth didn't really bother me. At least not anymore. My family always celebrated it and made me feel like I meant something so it was all good. I would probably never know my real one anyways so why care about it?

I think that they sensed that I didn't want to talk about it because Sides pulled another slip from the box. "I made Prowl glitch six times in one solar cycle."

My response was immediate. "Sides."

Said bot grinned. "What can I say? I've got the magic touch."

"More like excessive bouts of idiocy." Sunny grumbled.

"That could be true." Sides shrugged. He pulled the next slip out. "I'm utmost perfection."

We both looked up at Sunny. "Really?"

He huffed. "It's true."

"Debatable." Sides argued. Sunny reached out to smack him so he scooted away. "You can't hit the reader!"

"Like I give a frag!" Sunny growled before whacking him anyways.

"Mean." Sides pouted. "Ok so the next one says I've never stolen."

This one was obviously a hard one for them to decide who wrote it since obviously it was probably a lie from all three of us. I kicked my peds while I waited for them to figure it out. At least my choices were giving them something to think about.

"Clare?" Sides guessed.

"Yup! You and Sunny have stole too?"

"Well yeah. We were orphans who grew up on the streets so stealing was essential."

Oh...I had no idea. I didn't push the issue however since it seemed to bother Sides even saying that.

"What did you steal?"

I smiled in embarrassment. "Well once when I was like four I stole some gum from a gas station so my Aunt made me take it back and apologize to the worker. It was just a piece of gum seriously!"

The mood seemed to lighten with their chuckles. "Really? She made you take it back?"

"Yup. Then I got grounded for a week for stealing. I still don't get how you can ground a four year old but hey it meant that I was not allowed to snack or play outside so I hated it."

Sides grimaced. "I would too."

"Oh well it happened forever ago so no use complaining about it. Let's just finish the game."

"Ok."

* * *

**(Sides' POV)**

Sunny had left a while ago to use the wash racks leaving Clare and I alone in our room. I currently had her settled in my lap while she played a game. My optics kept wandering from the screen to her then back again. Ultimately they ended up locked on her while she cursed at the screen after getting killed again.

"Who even plays COD anymore? Seriously! It's all corner campers and drop shotting little bitches!" With a huff she flopped back against my stomach plating after placing the controller down on the couch.

"Hack the game back." I suggested. That's what I did when the organics cheated the system. Too bad for them nobot could hack a server like a Cybertronian could. Most of them left the game in a rage.

"I don't know how to do that yet." She sighed. "Ratchet hasn't even given me access to the internet yet. He says that my firewalls aren't updated and that I'll get a virus if I do."

"You could. And they aren't fun. They're kind of like the human equivelant to a really bad flu."

"Ewww. Never had one but Sam has and it was the grossest thing I have ever seen. He puked up enchiladas all over the floor. Completely ruined the food for me."

While she spoke to me one of her servos started rubbing my leg distractedly. The touch was soft as a gust of wind brushing against the plates. It felt good and I revved my engine softly in response.

Her helm popped up optics wide as she snatched her servo back.

We stared at each other for a moment...me still somewhat awed that I finally got to be a part of the relationship when for the last three months I had just been an onlooker. I had seen enough in her interactions with Sunny and the other bots to know that she was everything that I wanted. No femme in my life had ever been like her. They were always too clingy, all about the lust which was ok sometimes but when you were looking for something real it just didn't work out, or they had everything I wanted but just could not bounce back and forth between Sunny and I.

It was always harder for Sunny than it was for me however. I always hated how he tried so hard only for the femmes to get put off because of one little scowl and flock to me. Eventually he gave up trying and just used them for interface.

The rejection he always felt ate at me until I sent the femmes packing. Clare had been right, you could not take one of us without taking the other. Those femmes weren't right for us but I was sure that Clare was. Hopefully Primus blessed us with having a proper spark wavelength so that we could bond.

I came back down from my thoughts when said femme climbed up my chassis until she was face level with me. She smiled shyly and kissed my cheek before ducking her helm down against my neck.

My chassis rumbled with laughter. I had to admit that I had never been with a femme that was so shy and innocent. It really was refreshing.

I nuzzled her helm and she nuzzled back with a soft purr. She lifted her helm giving me the perfect opening to press my lips against her's.

Her lips were softer than any femme I had ever kissed before, and she tasted sweet. The movements of her lips against mine were slow and hesitant belying ther innocence. For some reason knowing that she was a virgin only turned me on more.

I stepped things up a bit by flicking my glossa over her bottom lip. She gasped allowing me to slip in and lap at her own small glossa which was surprisingly even sweeter than her lips. My entire frame shuddered in pleasure.

A soft hissing broke us apart as Sunny came back into the room. He took one look at us and snatched Clare from me.

"Hey!" I protested.

"Clare needs to go back to her room and get some recharge." Was his grumpy response.

Oh right today had been stressful for her. "Alright. We gonna walk her back?"

Sunny just grunted sending an affirmative over the bond.

I stood as well and together we walked out the door to take Clare back to her room. The trip was silent until we closed in on said room my audios picking up the sound of grunts and moans. **(They're still going at it!) **

Sunny sighed. **(Sounds like it.)**

**(Guess she's gonna have to stay with us tonight.) **That thought did not displease me at all.

Clare didn't seem to have heard the sounds yet, or it was more accurate to say that she was half way into recharge in Sunny's arms. Before either of us could stop her she clumsily scrambled down and hit the door button.

And we all got the worst optic full ever!

Clare jumped back with a startled squeak when the door slid open all the way to reveal her adoptive creators going at it on the berth, Prowl had Jazz's legs up over his shoulders...

They both looked over at all of us and gaped.

We gaped back...I snapped a few pictures as well.

And then everything went to slag.

"SIDESWIPE! SUNSTREAKER!" Prowl lost his cool and bellowed at the top of his vocaliser.

As soon as he jumped off of the berth and came at us I reacted by scooping Clare up and fleeing as fast as I could. "Oh slag! I guess you're recharging with us tonight spark!"

She shuddered. "O-Ok!"

One thing was for sure...I would forever be haunted by what I had seen.

* * *

R&amp;R! So Sides is finally involved! Yay for threesomes! Ummm not like that...yet! Hope you all liked Clare bitching Sunny out! I sure did! Here are some reviews!

**Silent Shooter**\- Ok you got another dose of Sunny and Sides...and Clare cussing them both out! Lol I can't wait for Bob either!

**Coolgal02**\- Lol I say that to my brother too! Loved it when I made Sunny punch Trent too!

**Moonlightdeer**\- Lol if this made you blush wait until Sides is involved... Blush won't even cover it I bet.

**TerrorTwinEpicness**\- Smut can only get worse with the twins lol. And as you can see Sides got his time lol.

**Lioness32**\- You're welcome :D!

**Izzy-dragon-rider**\- I am the master of the unexpected RAWR! And Sides got his femme yay! Sunny already got in there lol...just not all the way.

**DarkshadowXsunny-sides**\- Robo jizz...that is all! Lol jk thanks for the review! And making out is not even the beginning of the smut in this fic. It's usually the shy ones that turn into crazy face maniacs...


	20. Chapter 20

So we are at over 10,000 views for only being 20 chapters in! Also yaaaaaay SIDES! Whoop whoop! Both of them are dating her now and it's awesome! I think we're due for a little Sides/Clare fluff/smut. So here it is! There is also some awkward physical exams in this one! Poor Clare! You have been warned! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! I also want to thank **Izzy-dragon-rider** for helping me with something big in this chapter! You'll know it when it happens hopefully! If not I'll make a mention at the end! Also in case anyone hadn't noticed this is not taking place in 2007, it's 2014-2015 at this point.

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

Almost a week had gone by since I had cussed out Sides and Sunny in the med bay. It was now the Friday after and I was hanging out with Sides while Sunny was out on patrol. We were in the twins room laying on the berth with me sprawled out on Sides' chassis comfortably. I rubbed at his chest plates lazily making him purr.

"Christmas is coming up soon." I murmured.

"What's a Christmas?"

I sat up on my knees so that I was staring down at him. Sometimes I just expected the bots to have researched human hollidays and stuff. Not very practical when they were fighting a war I know. "Christmas is a holliday that takes place every year on December 25th. It's where humans give each other gifts to show that they care for each other."

He perked up. "Presents?"

"Yes presents. We give them to people we care about."

Sides sat up and cupped me in his servos. "Do I get something?" He looked so excited.

I giggled. "Yes of course! What do you want?"

His optics widened and flashed with his mounting spazziness. Yes spazziness. "I want the Evil Within!"

"That new game that came out a few months ago?"

"Yeah."

"Ok I'll get it for you but you can't get it until Christmas!"

Sides pouted. "What? Why?"

I put my servos on my hips and gave him my _'stern look'_ as he had dubbed it. "Because you have to wait until Christmas morning to get your present! It's tradition!"

"But that's like two weeks away!"

"Yeah I know. But the wait will make you appreciate the gift more! Besides I have good news!"

"What?"

"I have two weeks off from school starting this next Friday and I'm going to come stay here for most of it!" I was actually really looking forward to spending winter break on base! As sad as it was I already had a list of things I wanted to do with the twins and my creators!

"Really? You're going to stay for two weeks? Have you told Sunny yet?"

"Yes to the first question and not yet to the second. I plan on telling him when he gets back."

Sides gave me the cat ate the canary grin. "Prank spree?"

I leaned up and stopped literally a breath away from his lips. "Maybe."

He closed the distance and delivered a firm yet gentle kiss to my lips our lips moving in sync at an unhurried pace. I was content to just kiss him leisurely all day long, just as I was content to do the same to Sunny whenever the opportunity arose.

Their lips were so warm and firm against my smaller ones... I took the initiative and lapped at his bottom lip to gain entry into his mouth. He opened for me allowing me to slip inside and lap at his glossa. His taste was metallic and sweet with a hint of spice, and I explored every inch to gather as much of his flavor as I could. A soft moan rumbled in my own chassis, echoed by his loud growl.

He flipped the situation by forcing me back into my own mouth so that he could slide his glossa in and return the treatment that I had given him. Heat shot straight through to my valve. Sparks danced over my plating.

And he noticed. He noticed and purred. Oh the sound of it drove the heat in me higher.

I pulled back before things could get even more heated.

No sooner had I done that then he was back on me making me squeak in surprise. He turned us so that I was laying on the berth with him propped up over me. Which let me tell you was intimidating when he was like three times my size.

We separated so that he could trace my frame with kisses and gentle touches from his servos. I bit back the mewl that wanted to escape as sharp blue sparks danced over my frame. Heat was building in my abdomen growing with every inch he explored.

I was starting to get nervous since he was moving down towards my valve, licking and nipping, glossa sliding into the spots where protoform shone through. A moan did escape me when he hit a sensitive spot near my apex. "Sides I don't think this is a good idea."

"Why...not?" He mumbled between kisses and licks.

"Because I'm a scared little virgin who's not used to being touched. It took Sunny almost three months to get a hand job from me."

He paused and looked up at me. "A hand job...you mean a servo job?"

"Y-yeah."

"Who says that you have to touch me? Why can't I just touch you?"

Oh Primus! Here we were with him splayed out over my abdomen inches from my apex, with him having the intention to go lower...and I was resisting. As Sunny had shown me their touches could be pleasurable beyond belief...

But the physical gratification wasn't what it was all about. I needed to feel comfortable with them to feel secure with them touching me. The problem was that I did feel comfortable with them. But I wasn't sure if I loved them or not and love was important to me when it came to proceeding into something like this. Not only that but I wanted them to feel love for me when they were touching me. How could I be sure that after such a short time they felt anything strong for me at all?

I shifted my legs slightly closer together, instinctively knowing that if he wanted to do something this pathetic resistance would not stop him. "Sides I just...I'm not the type to do these kinds of things on a whim. You and I have only been dating for less than a week."

"So? If I care about you why does it matter?"

My spark skipped a beat. What he said warmed me from the inside out even if it did not seem feasible. "You haven't even been with me that long."

"Sunny has and our emotions are shared, and fueled by each other. The depth of emotion he feels for you I feel as well."

What exactly did that mean? Well I knew what it meant...that Sides felt what Sunny felt. But did that mean that Sunny felt something strong for me? Was't it too soon? From what I had heard from girls in school guys only claimed to love or care strongly so soon when they wanted to screw around. Sides and Sunny weren't like that though I was sure of it.

"Sides...I don't really know what that means. I mean I do but does it mean that you actually care about me? Or does it mean that you just really like me?"

He cocked his helm at me. "Aren't they the same?"

"No. You can like someone and not really care about them. But when you feel something strong for them it really matters. Like me, I care about you two, I don't just like you guys."

He crawled back up so that he was face level with me. "You do?"

I blushed and averted my optics. "Mm hmm. If I didn't I would never have let Sunny touch me." Something soft pressed against my neck.

"We care about you too...even if Sunny won't admit it verbally. That's why he's so possessive of you because that's how he shows that he cares." He mumbled against my neck.

"I know. I like that he's possessive of me."

He hummed against my neck before licking it. "Now you have to deal with two possessive mechs."

I couldn't help the mewl that escaped me. Apparently my neck was very sensitive and the way he was suckling on the cables wasn't helping. "Possessive and jealous mechs?"

"Yes." He vacated my neck to crawl back down to my thighs. Hitching his servos between each leg he spread them.

"Sides!" I tried to clamp them back together but he was stubbornly holding them apart. My spark sped up in equal parts panic and excitement. The latter surprised me but I was helpless to stop it. "Sides I-I don't know if I'm ready."

"For what?"

"To...well what do you even want t-to d-do?"

"Lick your valve."

As soon as the words were out of his mouth I felt my jaw drop. He-he wanted to go down on me? Oh my God, Primus, KLKJLNLKNLKJHLKNHKJDALKJSDKJ! Who would have known that this mech had a lick fetich?! And how was I supposed to respond? My body wasn't rejecting the idea but my processor sure was't convinced!

He offered me a reassuring smile after he noticed my internal struggle. "Unless you don't want me to."

I gulped. "I-I don't know. I've never..." Oh Primus these mechs were going to be the death of me! Now all I needed was for Sunny to come in and insist to join in!

"How about this? If it feels good and you like it I'll keep going. If you get scared or you don't like it I'll stop no questions asked."

My breathing sped up as my abdomen tightened. Something wet started pooling between my legs.

Sides grinned. "I can smell that lubricant spark..."

Oh hell! Fucking fragging hell in a fragging pit! He could smell it?! Why did the knowledge of that mortify me?! I opened my mouth and just started blabbing. "Umm does it...like stink? Oh why did I even ask that? It probably does. Umm what if it tastes bad? Oh hell it probably does! I can't!"

Sides rumbled out a laugh. "It smells sweet and it probably tastes even better."

My jaw dropped so fast that I swear my joints cracked. OH WHATFUKAKSCNLKANDKJSCNLKS?! It tasted good?! What the heck was wrong with him? Everyone that I had ever heard talk about it said that girl juice tasted bad.

"So can I lick it all up or not?"

I couldn't help it...I passed out cold. The last thing I saw was his startled face peering down at me in a panic.

I faded in and out for who knows how long; everytime I gained some semblance of consciousness Sides' face was right over me, mouth moving though I could not discern what he was saying. After roughly half a dozen in and out moments I finally came to completely.

"Clare! Clare!" Sides' voice was barely distinguishable.

He moved to prop me up. "Uhhh what happened?"

"You offlined temporarily. Are you ok?"

I passed out? Why? "What happened?"

"Uh I asked to-you know what? Never mind. All that matters is whether or not you're ok!"

I lifted a servo to my fuzzy helm to steady myself while I tried to recall what had happened. Sides kept asking me if I was ok but I hardly paid him any mind. Until I suddenly remembered what had caused me to faint.

My helm shot up. "YOU ASKED TO LICK MY CROTCH?!"

At the same exact moment I said that the door slid open.

We both turned towards the door where Sunny was standing wearing a frown. "He asked to do what?"

Sides nervously rubbed the back of his helm. "Uhhh I asked to lick her valve and she fainted."

"Why am I not surprised?" Sunny moved into the room and hopped onto the berth we were sitting on. He allowed me to scramble onto his lap where he cupped me protectively. "So you went offline because Sides asked to perform oral interface on you?"

Heat shot straight to my face.

"Holy slag her entire face is blue!" Sides snickered.

"SUNNY!" I shrieked. "HOW COULD YOU EVEN SAY THAT SO CASUALLY?! IT-WHEN HE ASKED ME THAT I WAS FREAKING MORTIFIED!" Thankfully I caught myself before I mentioned that I was severely aroused before I blacked out, because somehow I got the feeling that admitting that would only incite Sideswipe's perverted tendencies more. So I kept it to myself.

"I bet you were."

"So why did you say that if you knew how I would react?!"

"Because I like seeing you flustered and embarrassed. It arouses me."

My jaw dropped as I spluttered. "WHAT?! YOU GET A STIFFY OFF OF SEEING ME FLOUNDER?! THAT'S SOME SERIOUS SADIST SHIT RIGHT THERE!"

He cocked his helm and pushed me to lay back on his lap. The action made me squeak, in turn making both him and Sides smirk. "I didn't see you complaining that day in your room baby. I bet if I touched you again you'd like it."

As if to tease me one of his servos slid down to slide across my valve covering. I tried not to make a sound to encourage him, I really did but against all of my restraint I whimpered and it made me want to smack myself in the face repeatedly. WHY DID I HAVE TO ENCOURAGE NOT ONLY HIM BUT SIDES?! NEITHER OF THEM NEEDED HELP BEING PERVS!

Sunny chuckled, the sound sending shivers down my spinal struts. He repeated the action eliciting an even louder mewl from me. "See? You like it."

Sides leaned over and licked at my chassis before I could deny that statement. Which would have been futile might I add?

His glossa hit protoform through the breaks in my armor making me arch and moan. "Th-this isn't very fair! Double teaming isn't-" A soft snap and a rush of air between my legs had me gaping like a fish. I was gonna faint again! I was gonna faint again! Too hot! Too hot!

A firm digit started stroking at me. I moaned and sqeauled and bucked, whether it was to try and get more or to get away I think it was somewhere in the middle. It felt good but my mind wanted to keep fighting it, or fighting having them both on me at the same time. It was like a mental and physical overload. Literally.

A soft wet glossa pried at my chassis in time with Sunny's movements. Bastards!

They kept time with each other forcing the sensations to build until I was beside myself with pleasure. Moans and whimpers the only sounds that I could make. My body shaking and bucking at the digit prying at me but never entering me. Even in my hazy mind I was thankful for that because in no way was I prepared for that level of touching.

I was so lost that all I could focus on was the feelings being evoked.

Up until I finally hit that intense overload that had me arching with a scream. Nothing mattered to me as the sensations overcame me turning me into some sort of rabid animal. I bucked like mad into the digit between my legs. My frame sparking intensely delivering a surge of pleasure to every single receptor simultaneously.

It was too much. The sensation was too much for me. Like a flood drowning me.

For the second time that day I passed out.

* * *

When I awoke later my HUD informed me that it was 5 o'clock in the afternoon meaning that I had been out for roughly two hours. I lazily panned my optics around me only to discover two frames sprawled out on either side of me.

I thought that they were in recharge or something but as soon as I moved both sets of optics snapped open. And then they smirked those crazy sexy smirks at me. The ones that made my abdomen clench and made me want to faint again like a rabid fangirl.

A red servo reach out to touch my chassis drawing my attention down to my exposed protoform. Oh my freaking Primus he had stripped my chest armor off! And now he was fondling me! "Umm..."

"You faint a lot you know that right?"

"You were the one that made me faint Sides! What part of poor little virgin mind do you not understand? How else do you expect me to react when you ask to lick my femme parts?"

He grinned. "Well preferably I would like for you to lay down and spread your legs so that I can partake in that which I so crave. But we can work on it until you get more used to it."

"You dirty little lick whore!"

"Lick whore? Is that a compliment?"

I flushed angrily. He was sooo making fun of me right now! "No! Where is my armor anyways?"

A gold servo lowered my armor down to the berth in front of me. "I don't know why you want to cover yourself so much." Sunny said offhandedly. "You have great curves for being so small. A nicely endowed chassis and an aft that won't quit."

In an astrosecond I had my armor back on though it did nothing to hide my embarrassment. "Whores! You two are such hos! First you perv out on me constantly! Then Sides offers to lick my crotch and I faint! Then I wake up and the first thing that you two do is double team molest me! If I didn't li- AUGHH! SHADDUP!" WHY MUST I SAY STUPID THINGS ALL OF THE TIME?!

"It's not our fault that you like it and that you're so receptive to even the smallest touch. Not gonna complain, it was hot." Sides complimented with a sly grin. He turned and propped himself up on an elbow facing me.

"Well duh I'm receptive! I'm a virgin!" Might as well just permanently blush in advance before entering a room with one or both of them. If only I could blush on command it would put them off from teasing me just to see it.

"Yeah and if I'm remembering correctly I believe Sides has said before that being a virgin equates to being hot. It means we get to teach you all the little tricks and pleasures of the body."

I whipped in Sunny's direction. "You're just as pervy as he is!"

He snorted. "Of course I am."

_'I'm going to be destroyed!'_ Of course I kept that realization to myself so as not to give them anymore fuel to tease me with. "Lust sick puppies!"

Both of them grinned. "We're mechs."

I huffed. "How am I supposed to respond to that?"

Sides leaned into my face grinning boyishly. "You say how much you appreciate how talented and attentive we are."

"I appreciate how talented you are at molesting me. Now give me a warning next time will ya?"

"No promises." Sides...

Sunny froze at the same moment that he opened his mouth to say something to me. A look of aggravation came to his features relatively quickly. He blinked. "We have to go and see Ratchet for our vornly check up. He said not to even attempt hiding or else he would make our physicals even worse."

Sides shuddered and clutched at me. "I don't want to go!"

"Do you think I do? The last thing I want to do is have a probe shoved up my aft."

Sunny's words made me choke. "HE WHAT?!"

They both gave me an uncomfortable look. "Well we have to get our afts probed. Not fun let me tell you."

"Why? All you do is blow exhaust out of it in your alt mode!" Or umm take it up the aft if you were into mec on mech. I kept that to myself.

"Exactly. It could get backed up and if it does it can cause a whole pit of a lot of problems. So we have to get it checked by Ratchet every few earth months. Unfortunately the vornly physical happens to coincide with it this time."

"Please tell me that I don't have to do anything like that." I gulped. If Ratchet came anywhere near my aft with a probe I was going to flip shit and maim him.

Sunny looked at Sides warily. "Well since you don't have an alt mode like we do I think you can get away with not having it done. But since you are a carrier you have to have a valve exam every stellar cycle or so."

My optics bugged out. "WHAT?! NO WAY IS ANYBOT COMING NEAR MY CROTCH LIKE SOME WICKED VERSION OF THE SAW GUY WHOSE NAME I CAN'T REMEMBER AT THIS MOMENT!"

"Does that include us too?" Sides pouted.

"NO! YES! I DON'T KNOW!"

Sunny patted my helm to comfort me. "Look at it this way Clare, you don't have to do it-" He cut off suddenly optics dimming. If possible he grimaced even worse than before as he blinked down at me. "Ummm."

In an astrosecond I was off of the berth and running for the door like a friggin animal. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! NOOOOOOOOO! NOT HAPPENING! NOT HAPPENING!"

I activated my disruptor and ran as fast as I could. Somehow I ended up in a storage room for unused parts like engines, and headlights and stuff. I swiftly locked the door before sliding down the wall next to an old engine. Hopefully Sunny and Sides wouldn't find me here!

"Clare! Come out! Come out wherever you are! If we have to get probed you've gotta get-" Sides' voice was cut off by a loud whack! "OUCH! What was that for?"

"For running your mouth! Why would she come out with you telling her that Ratchet is going to examine her valve?"

"I don't know!"

The loud sounds of their peds clambering by was heard just before their voices faded and the ped steps grew more distant.

A sigh of relief escaped me as I leaned to the left onto the pile of scrap I was sitting next to. Operation do not get somebot's servos jammed up my valve was a success! At least for now. I would have to hide from opi and dad too because anything that Ratchet wanted to do to me they would most likely approve of. From a totally professional medical standpoint of course.

I sat there leaned against the pile of parts contemplating what to do next. My options weren't very good. I could either A: sit here and hope that nobot decided to check the spare parts closet, B: run out now that the coast was clear and hide somewhere else, or C: just get the exam over with. No way was the last one happening.

I mean it wasn't like there was anything physically wrong with me or anything. No strange sparks, no systems hurting, no pain anywhere, no stiffness, no decreased functionality. According to my HUD I was running at optimal. Of course that wasn't saying anything about my privates.

"Mmmmmmm nooooo!" I moaned pitifully. Why did doctors have to subject their patients to bullshit exams with no actual reason to do it?!

A few kliks went by in peaceful silence. No sounds from the outside world. No mechs finding me in the closet. All was quiet. I decided to leave the safety of the closet after another two kliks.

Peeking out into the hallway I saw that the coast was clear so I slipped out and turned in the opposite direction that the twins had gone. At least I was pretty sure that they had gone the other way.

Nobot was in sight so it seemed safe to wander. Which I did, right around the corner and into a green leg. "Ooof!"

"You alright Clare?"

I rubbed my throbbing face. "Yeah Hound. Sorry that I ran into you."

"It's alright. You in a hurry or something?"

"Yes. I'm in a hurry to get as far away from the med bay as possible. You wanna help me with that so long as I do not tell Ratchet that you assisted me?"

He smiled and nodded. "Sure. I was actually just heading to my quarters to check something! Wanna come with?"

"Sure!" He offered his servo for me to climb on which I hopped onto excitedly. Together we started for his room with me doing an internal victory dance because I got away from Ratchet! Screw you and your exam Ratchet!

"So umm what are you going to check on?" I asked conversationally.

"An egg that I found before I left Cybertron. I think it's an insecticon egg."

"Insecticon?" Never heard of them before and I had to say that I was curious.

"We have Cybertronian animals Clare, like bugs, cats, hounds, and other things. Insecticons are like robotic bugs."

Umm ewww. If it was a spider I was dipping out for real. "Ok. So you found an egg that you think is an insecticon?"

"Yeah. I can't tell what kind but I think it's about to hatch soon! Normally insecticons are mindless and vicious but if I raise it from birth maybe I can tame it and teach it to sniff out Decepticons or even other insecticons."

Hound chatted on excitedly until we reached his room. He seemed quite happy at the prospect of this insecticon being tamable.

My optics landed on a large glass cage near the far wall under a sun lamp. In the center on a small branch was what looked to be a nest of some sort with a bright green egg in it. It was pretty big too, like the size of an oversized beachball.

Hound sat me down on the large table near the cage. He moved to do something with the sun lamp leaving me to inch closer to the glass so that I could see better. I didn't really need to bother though because Hound opened the cage and lifted the nest out.

It gave me a good view of the way the soft egg was being pushed out in certain places by whatever was inside. I leaned in to get a better look.

Hound crouched down next to me so that we could watch together. Whatever was inside was jabbing at the egg repeatedly and stretching the soft surface out. It was tougher than it looked however so it took a dozen or so tried before a pointy foot finally poked through. Or maybe it was a leg. Dunno.

A second pointy leg thing slid out, both were covered in green goo; it started spreading the shell to break it open.

I leaned in right over the opening as two tiny yellow antennas popped out followed by a boxy metal helm. Four orange optics lit up where it was originally pitch black between the mouth and the top of it's helm.

And then the little thing chittered before pushing itself the rest of the way out of the egg. This allowed me to get me first real good look at it, whatever it was.

It looked kind of like a beatle, spikes were randomly positioned on each of its sharp legs minus the back legs where the spikes were only on the joint that connected the limb to it's body. He was a mixture of purple, dark blue, silver, and even orange. The front right leg was orange with silver spikes, the left was purple along with his helm. The rest of his body was mostly dark blue wih hints of silver forgoing the little thrusters on his back which were a slightly darker shade of orange.

He was cute in a weird sort of way. And he just stared at me until a soft chittering noise escaped him.

I straightened up as he...it crawled towards me on slightly unsteady legs, the entire time it kept up that soft noise.

Hound shifted next to me but said nothing.

It glomped me, like literally glomped me. Legs wrapping around my shoulders and waist like a friggin baby koala bear pressed flush against it's mother. That's how close it got to me covering me in the egg juice still coating it. Umm...

"He likes you."

"He? How do you know it's a he?" I patted _'his'_ helm awkwardly.

"He has spikes on his abdomen." He said like I should know what that meant.

"So that means he's a he."

"Yes. And he seems to have imprinted on you."

RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! That was the sound of my thoughts screeching to a stop. "Umm what? Imprint? What does that mean?"

"He's a sparkling. Sparklings imprint on the first being they see normally."

Oh my god! He thought I was his mom? "Umm Hound I can't exactly keep him at my house when I'm gone you know? Humans don't keep robotic bugs. In fact to most they don't even exist." It...Bob, that's what I was going to call him nuzzled against me. My spark melted a bit despite the situation. He was cute.

Hound frowned thoughtfully. "Well he did imprint on you...but I can care for him while you're gone if you'd like?" He offered.

"That would be good. But umm why didn't he imprint on you? He saw us both at the same time."

Hound shrugged. "It's not an exact science Clare. You just caught his attention more. It's kind of my fault for bringing you in here for this."

"I wanted to come."

"True but I should have known what could happen so I am just as much at fault... So what are you going to designate him?"

I looked down at he who I designated as Bob and patted his helm affectionately making him purr. "His name is Bob."

Hound cocked his helm at me curiously. "Bob?"

"Yes Bob." Baby Bob scurried up my chassis and around my shoulder to latch onto my back where he got nice and comfortable...and where he smeared green goop all over that part of me too. I smeared some of it onto my pointer digit with a grimace. "Ummm..."

Hound grabbed me a cloth and some cleaner so that we could clean my armor and Bob.

I did my armor quickly and afterwards Hound showed me how to clean Bob. He explained that the mental processes of Cyber animals were far more advanced that the animals on earth, but that they had similar instincts so Bob would probably take to burrowing in the ground or under whatever he could get under. So cleaning him was an important skill to learn.

He showed me how to clean between the spikes covering his legs and back which were sensitive, and around the antenna which were even more so. Bob chittered happily while we cleaned him.

It only took us a few kliks to finish cleaning the goop off of him. Sometime during the cleaning he fell into recharge.

"So ummm what do I feed him? Does he eat solid stuff?"

"Yes he will eat energon pellets, specially formulated low grade pellets to be exact. But if he does not get that he will eat metal. Luckily I brought a large supply with me, enough to last for a few vorns at least."

"It doesn't go bad or anything?"

"No it's fuel in pellet form."

Right I should have known that. "Umm is Ratchet going to get slagged off because we have him?"

Hound blinked like he hadn't thought of that. "I hope not."

Yeah that sounded real convincing. Unfortunately it was too late to do anything about it besides hope for the best. Maybe we should just take Bob to Ratchet so that he could see him before he got a surprise when Bob went skittering by him one of these days. If that happened he would probably fly into a rage.

"Maybe we should...take Bob to Ratchet and show him before he finds out some other way?"

"...Maybe."

I opened my mouth to say something when the public comm link went off. It was deadly silent before so it came as a surprise when Ratchet's voice came through. **:Clare! Get your aft down to the med bay before I have to hunt you down and drag you here myself! Don't think that I won't either because I already had Ironhide drag your little loverbots down here!:**

Sides' sheepish voice came next. **:He did. My aft...it hurts.:** He whined.

I swallowed thickly. None of that was reassuring at all.

**:Clare...DO. NOT. MAKE. ME. HUNT. YOU. DOWN!:**

**:He'll do it baby, and he will find you.:** Sunny commented sourly. It sounded like his aft was sore too.

Maybe I could pretend that I didn't have my comm link on?

**:DON'T ACT LIKE YOU CAN'T HEAR ME CLARE!:** Ratchet bellowed angrily.

HOW DID HE KNOW?! "Hound help me! Hide me please!"

**:ANYBOT THAT HELPS HER HIDE WILL BE REFORMATTED INTO A TOASTER!:**

Hound gave me an apologetic look. "Sorry Clare but I don't fancy being reformatted into a toaster."

In an astrosecond I found myself being snatched up and carted from the room. Bob had woken up during the flurry of movement and was now riding alert on my back as I was carried to the med bay. "Traitor!"

"Best to just get it over with femme otherwise Ratchet will make it worse later. Besides we gotta take Bob to see Ratchet right?"

I squirmed valiantly to get free of his hold. "Yes but we can do that when he doesn't want to examine my femme parts!"

"It isn't that bad Clare." Hound assured me as we finally entered the med bay.

My optics shot around the room as my anxiety spiked to dangerous proportions. Nothing about what I was seeing was helping me either, because Sides was on a berth with a long pipe like object jammed in his aft while Ratchet turned it and peered into the little box at the end.

Everybot looked up when we entered the room. "Hi sweet." Sides greeted me in a strained tone.

"H-hi Sides..." I contemplated fleeing but I had no way to escape from Hound.

Nor any time because Ratchet removed the probe from Sides' aft indicating that he was now finished with him; and as soon as he did that he turned towards me and gestured to a berth. "Lay down."

A panicked **_"NO!"_** was my blurted response. Not happening! He was not examining my bits!

Ratchet gritted his denta together. "Lay down." He repeated.

"No."

Bob must have sensed my distress because he chittered nervously. The sound caught everybot's attention minus Hound who already knew about him.

Sides hopped up from the berth and approached me curiously. "What was that?"

"It was Bob."

Sunny moved closer as well looking wary. "Bob?"

With a shrug I reached around behind me and lifted Bob into view which was a bit tedious since he was pretty big, roughly half my size in fact. I brought him around in front of me so that he was in plain view.

Everybot just stared, Bob at the twins and Ratchet his antennas twitching, and vice versa. Really I should have been expecting somebot to explode, not been surprised when it came.

And more surprising was that it was not Ratchet that exploded either, it was Sunny.

"YOU INTRODUCED HER TO AN INSECTICON!?" He all but roared. "A FULL SIZED INSECTICON WILL EAT HER LIKE SCRAP METAL!"

Bob clambered around onto my back with a shrill screech of alarm where he clutched at me shaking like a leaf. I reached around to pet him in an attempt to calm him. "Sunny he's just a little hatchling."

My mech swiftly turned to glare at me. "I DON'T CARE! WHEN HE MATURES HE COULD KILL YOU!"

"You're scaring him, please calm down." I urged him. His concern was warming me but at this point Bob was harmless to me. At least I think he was. Hound certainly didn't seem concerned that he would or could harm me. My little bug baby shook against my servo as I pet him.

He had to visibly reign in his temper, turning to Hound afterwards. "What were you thinking when you took her near an insecticon?"

Hound managed to look sheepish. "Well she wanted to come and see." He said like it explained everything.

Sunny pinched the bridge of his olfactory passage AKA his nose. "Take it from her and I might not rip you apart."

Ok now he was taking it too far. "Sunny Bob is not going to hurt me! He's just a baby!"

"Babies grow up! When he's full sized he'll be at least three times your size! He could hurt you!"

"He won't. Hound said he imprinted on me."

Every set of optics widened save for Hound's and my own. "He what?"

"He imprinted on me. Hound says that means I'm like his mom or something." Bob peeked his helm over my shoulder chittering as if to agree with me. "See? He's nice." I lifted him onto my lap again where he sat curled against my stomach.

Sides inched closer to pet him helm cocked to the side when Bob just purred happily. "He does seem rather docile compared to what I've seen from insecticons, even compared to other hatchlings." He admitted.

"Don't even say anything Sides." Sunny growled. "He could eat her when he's full grown."

Sides shrugged. "Well I was just making a statement."

"Don't encourage her."

"I wasn't, but she does have the choice to keep him if she wants to. So long as he doesn't show any aggression towards her of course."

Sunny looked like he wanted to strangle Sides right now.

Luckily Ratchet stepped forward and shoved them both out of the way. He had a stern expression on his face as he held a servo out for Bob. "Let me see him."

I clutched Bob tighter to my chassis protectively. "You promise that you won't hurt him?"

"I just need to scan him to make sure that we know exactly what we are dealing with."

With some reluctance I handed Bob over, only as soon as I did he screeched and desparately tried to get back to me. So he obviously did not like Ratchet.

Ratchet wouldn't let me take him back though, instead sitting him on a berth so that he could look him over with his scanners and other tools. Bob kept screeching the entire time, to the point that it was hurting my audios.

"Hound sit me downn ext to him please?"

Hound quickly deposited me on the berth next to Bob whom immediately ceased screeching to scamper onto my lap. As soon as he was settled he started purring like the traumatizing event hadn't happened.

Ratchet frowned. "Good thing I only needed to do a quick scan of him."

Bob purred, nuzzling and cuddling me like an overgrown kitten.

Nobot seemed to either know what to make of it, or were ok enough with what was happening to say anything. I for one personally didn't care what any of them said about Bob. I was keeping him unless I had some good excuse to get rid of him. In other words if he attacked and killed somebot.

Ratchet took a few kliks to look over the scans with an unreadable expression that I could not decide was good or bad.

"Well after looking at these scans I'm not sure whether it's safe or not for Clare to be his caretaker. He has poison glans in his abdomen and on each side of his face near where his pinscers will develop."

The group shared a collective grimace save for me.

"See? She can't keep him! He'll eat her or poison her!" Sunny repeated. "Hound can take care of his mistake but my femme is not being put at risk!"

I pulled Bob back into my chassis when Sunny reached for him. "No!"

"Clare give him to me! You can't keep him when he's going to grow to be dangerous!"

"No. Hound already said that he would help me take care of him so I want to keep him!" Call me stubborn but Bob was my bug baby. Yes bug baby as in backwards but I didn't care I liked how it sounded!

All optics shot towards Hound who backed up slightly. "I only offered to care for him when she was off base!"

"You encouraged her! If that thing eats her I swear to Primus I will rip your limbs off stuff one up your aft with one of Wheeljack's tension bombs attached to it, and watch you blow up from the inside out!"

Well that was by far the most graphic and horrifying threat I had ever heard Sunny make. It served to make Hound shake with fear. And then there was Sides and Ratchet who looked frustrated as well, and Bob who looked around clueless.

Then he turned to paw at me with a soft click. "Hound I think he's hungry."

"O-Ok. I've got some pellets for him."

He handed some green pellets to me making Bob chitter excitedly. I put a few onto my servo and lowered it down to his level so that he could eat it.

Sides reached out to stop me. "Sweet I don't know if that's such a good...idea." He trailed off completely.

He did that because Bob carefully plucked the energon pellets out of my grasp without even scraping me with his stubby little baby pinscers. In fact he seemed to take great care not to harm me with them when eating.

"See? He imprinted on her. I think it's safe to assume that she's safer from him that anybot else no matter how big he gets."

"You don't know that." Sunny argued. "Insecticons are vicious. What if he snaps and tries to eat her?"

"Then you'll just have to protect me from the big bad Bob." I cooed. He gave me a weird look while I made silly faces at Bob.

"I don't think he'll harm her but I can do some observations to make sure that he shows absolutely no aggression towards her in each stage of his development." Hound offered. "If he does I will take him and raise him myself, and if that proves to be pointless then I will have to put him down."

A protective anger settled in the pit of my spark. Nobot was going to put my little Bob down! "No you're not! He's my bug baby!"

"If he proves to be dangerous he's going to have to be put down baby. That's all there is to it. He could be dangerous to everybot around him if he takes after his feral counterparts. Would you risk innocent bots and organics just to keep a pet?"

No...no I wouldn't. It made me sad to think about but if it came to that I would have to let Bob go. I just hoped that it didn't. And we still had time to prove that he could be tamed! "Fine but only after he matures do we make the decision based on his behavior! If he shows that he is docile I'm keeping him!"

Sunny huffed. "Fine. But if he takes one snap at you I'm going to impale him with my blades!"

"Fine!" I snapped back.

"Well now that the argument is over with it is time to get back to the main reason that you came here Clare."

My spinal struts stiffened as I slowly, ever so slowly turned towards Ratchet. I hadn't noticed it before but he had a long metal set of clamps on his counter...just staring at me. Yes they were staring at me!

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" I screeched, in turn making Bob screech in response to my fear. Part of me felt bad for scaring him but the majority of me was in flight mode. And flee I did, straight off of the berth and onto the floor where I proceeded to run like my life depended on it.

I didn't get very far though before Ratchet snatched me up. Damn my short legs! "NOOO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Relax femme it's not nearly as bad as the other femmes make it out to be." Ratchet assured me. Only it wasn't as reassuring as he meant it to be since I hadn't heard anything from the other femmes, therefore what he said scared the slag outta me.

Hound took Bob from me as Ratchet sat me on the berth. He had to hold me down until I stopped squirming to try and break free. Eventually I gave up in the hopes that he would let me go, thus giving me the chance to take off again.

He seemed to be expecting that move from me because one of his servos reached down and flicked something on the side of the berth.

All of a sudden I was being weighed down so heavily that I couldn't even move. He-He magnetized me down to the damn berth!

He pulled stirrups from the bottom of the berth to lift my peds into, lowering the force of the magnet in the berth to allow him to lift my legs into it.

Hound turned to leave since he obviously did not enjoy seeing me so terrified. "I'll take care of Bob until you're done Clare. Just relax and it will go by easier." With that he was gone out the door.

He was gone and I was left with my legs propped up and spread wide. My spark could not be racing with fear anymore than it was at this moment.

A small sheet was tossed onto my legs to cover me as Sunny and Sides came up beside me offering me their servos. I grabbed them in a death grip at the exact moment that I felt my valve covering leave me. "I hate you Ratchet. I hate you so much." I whimpered.

"Relax. Tensing will make it worse."

I felt a soft pressure slide into my opening making me tense. "Just you wait! The next prank I pull on you will make you wish you had never forced me to do this!"

The pressure intensified until it was bordering on painful. "I doubt it."

And then I felt something slide into me, something rather sizable.

"I'm using an attachment to probe at you so please be as still as possible."

Oh yeah that made me feel better! Be still I'm sticking some weird alien probe up your valve it's completely normal and safe! SO LONG AS YOU DON'T MOVE! "I hate you." A soft whimper left my lips...it hurt a little bit! Everything inside was so sensitive that even the smallest touch could make it feel really good or really bad.

"I have to check your internal ports then I'll be finished with the inside."

WHAT?! WTFGSIIJIFJAISJFKDCMLAKNFOIAWJOIADLKSMDKASD?! WAS THAT SUPPOSED TO MAKE ME FEEL ANY BETTER?!

Sides taking notice of my rising discomfort pressed a soft kiss to the top of my helm. "Relax sweet, it'll be over in a few kliks."

"I hate you too."

"No you don't."

"I do. You didn't help me get away from him!"

"You didn't help us get away from him either." Sunny pointed out.

"I DIDN'T HAVE TO! YOU WENT TO HIM ON YOUR OWN!"

"Actually we didn't. He sent Ironhide to drag us to the med bay when we tried to hide too." Sides admitted sheepishly.

I opened my mouth to say something when I felt Ratchet shift his focus to the outside ports. Something about the touch felt...almost good. It made me gasp and squeal.

"Sorry." He apologized gruffly.

This moment was the most mortifying moment of my entire sad little sixteen years of life! I was blushing with mortification, spread out on a berth with my bits exposed, with my mechs standing at my helm watching Ratchet work. At least they couldn't see much. And at least they stayed with me as awkward as it was their presence soothed me a bit.

Ratchet finished up quickly after that. "Well it looks good. Seal is in perfect condition, internal ports are clear of any buildup and in excellent condition as is everything on the outside."

"Ok ok! Please put my covering back on now!"

He rolled his optics but obliged me by snapping my valve covering back into place. "There was one thing that was off however, the lubricant residue that was pooled around the outside of your valve opening."

The three of us froze. "Umm."

Ratchet sighed. "I'm not going to say anything to belittle or admonish you. What you three do in the privacy of wherever you go off to is your business. However I would advise that the twins at least handle you gently until you become more accustomed to...that. In truth your size difference compared to them concerns me though interfacing and mating is possible. It will be quite a deal more painful if you choose to join with them for the first time in their bi pedal modes instead of holoform."

"Oh...ok. Well we're not doing anything like that yet."

"When it does come time for that consider what I have said. Any reckless move on their part could damage you."

"We wouldn't harm her Hatchet." Sides smiled down at me. "It will be an experience that we have to work through together, but we'll do whatever it takes not to harm her anymore than we have to."

"See that you do not." His statement served as a dismissal as well.

None of us needed to be told twice either, as soon as I was released from the berth I scrambled up onto Sides' shoulder so that he could carry me from the room.

This experience would not soon be forgotten. Nor would I forget everything that had been said near the end.

* * *

R&amp;R! Sorry for the awkwardness lol but I felt like it would be a good way to torment Clare. And now we have baby Bob in the story! Yay! More coming next time! Thanks to **Izzy-dragon-rider** for helping me decide how to introduce Bob to the story! Much appreciated! Review time!

**HeartsGuardianSol- **It would probably be better for their health to delete those pictures! Lol it's the twins though so probably not gonna happened!

**himelove22- **Agreed no one should ever see their parents doing that. And *squeals* Sides is involved! Finally! I was tempted to drag it out a bit but I refrained.

**DarkshadowXsunny-sides- **Yes Sides finally got his femme! And yes they are idiots! Thanks!

**Miyukumu- **Eeeeewwwww is right. Double ewwwwwwww in this case!

**Coolgal02- **You're welcome you're welcome you're welcome! Lol!

**Silent Shooter- **I do not envy Clare for being sexed out of her room. Poor thing. Her life must suck in that regard.

**VulcanFanGirl- **XD!


	21. Chapter 21

Bobbobbobbobbobbobbobob bababababababa BOB! Had to get that ourt of my system! Anyways Baby Bob is here. If you haven't seen him before I recommend checking out what he looks like he's pretty cool. It was a toss up between him and an OC Cyberwolf, or petrohound. Bob won out though! Anyways I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! I figured it was only fair for Sides to get some loving limeade as well so here it is!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

It was Saturday afternoon and I had just gotten out of a training session with Chromia and Ironhide, in which I had my aft handed to me. The blue femme was growing more and more rough in her sparring, giving me less time to think thus forcing me to just react. Unfortunately I was inexperienced and my reactions were not always what I should do. So I ended up getting pounded into the ground for a few groons each day by her. Afterwards I got to practice shooting with Ironhide or Arcee. That part was easy.

I was getting into a routine now after a few months of doing this. Train, shower, then go and find Sides or Sunny maybe opi or dad if the other two weren't around. I had just returned to the twins room after cleaning myself in the wash racks.

Now I was sitting down with Bob in the center of the room. It had only been a day since he had hatched so he still stumbled around a bit on weak legs. Which was kind of weird because I was pretty sure that earth bugs were born strong most of the time. Bob seemed to need time to develop his relays, and Hound assured me that in a few solar cycles he would be much more steady.

As it was he was a little more steady than he was yesterday, scurrying around the room to look at things. Several times he tried to burrow under the couch when Sunny grunted at him for getting too close to him, but Bob seemed more curious of him than scared at this point.

Sides was out on patrol so it was just us three for right now. I was doing my best to multitask between talking to Sunny and watching Bob to make sure that he didn't eat any metal he found laying around. The only source being the furniture or the spare blades laying around. Most of which were laying on a table far out of Bob's reach.

"So Sunny...did I tell you that I get to come stay at the base for a week and a half starting next week?"

Sunny looked up from polishing himself. "No."

"Well I get to come and stay for most of Winter break."

He stared at me for a moment before going back to polishing himself. "Well I look forward to it."

"Mmmm hmmm." I hummed. "Christmas is coming up too."

"What's a Christmas?"

The way he worded it made me laugh, like it was an object and not a holliday. "It's a holliday Sunny. One where humans give presents to the people they care about."

His optics were shining when his helm popped up again. Just like Sides. "Presents? Do I get one if I agree to celebrate a lowly organic holliday?"

I frowned at him. "Yes, though there is no need to refer to it that way."

He shrugged carelessly. "You expect too much from me sometimes baby."

Didn't I know it? I sighed and pulled Bob back when he tried to gnaw on the leg of the table. "No bad Bob!" He turned and chittered at me innocently. "Anyways Sunny I need to know what you want, and it can't be horribly expensive since I'm using my chore money to buy gifts for everyone." Luckily for me I had been saving since I was like five years old so I had a little over a thousand dollars saved up in a shoebox under my bed. Bad spot for it I know but no one in my house ever looked under there.

"Wax, polish, and polishing rags."

Didn't he have enough of that stuff? He walked around with his subspace filled with them. "Don't you have a lifetime supply of that stuff in your subspace already?"

"No. I'm running low actually. And since the human government doesn't give us much of an allowance for anything besides the bare necessities I can't get new wax and polish as often as I'd like."

"Ok. So wax, polish, and polishing rags. I can do that. You don't get them until Christmas morning though."

"I figured. What's the point of getting the gifts for the holliday only to give them out early? It would destroy the significance of the day itself."

"Well Sides certainly didn't seem to get that fact."

"He's more like an overexcited sparkling than he is a full grown mech. You should have expected that from him."

"Ouch throw him out to the wolves Sunny. And Bob stop it!" I snapped sternly when Bob tried to eat the table leg again. Primus was he hungry or something?! He clicked at me then waited. Well I guess he was hungry. Luckily Hound had given me some energon pellets and a bowl to feed him with. So I removed both items from my subspace and filled the bowl before sitting it in front of him.

With a happy click he dug into it making me sigh in relief. Hound had said that he could be taught to be obedient, hopefully. We had yet to start working on it though.

While he was otherwise distracted I clambered up onto the couch and onto Sunny's lap. He paused in polishing himself to regard me before resuming when I just sat there.

"Doesn't it get tedious to polish yourself all day long every day?"

"It's worth it to look good."

"You sound like such a femme when you say that."

"I never hear you complaining about the results."

"Touche. But I don't spend any time polishing or waxing yet I never hear a complaint from you about how I look." I shot back.

He looked up at me intently. "That is true. Though a good coat of wax or a nice polishing would not hurt you. Perhaps I could give you a nice full body polish?" Oh he was totally flirting with me!

"Ummm why? So you can perv out and feel me up?"

"Yes, but also so that I can make you look that much better."

"You just want to feel me up."

"Would you expect me to pass up the chance?"

"Touche again." For a moment I sat there contemplating his offer before deciding that it couldn't hurt. Besides it had felt nice to be waxed by the femmes before so maybe the results would be better this time? "Ok but I have some ground rules."

His lips pulled down into a minuscule frown. Oh yeah I was onto you buddy. "Like what?"

"Like no removing armor for one! No molesting me to amuse yourself! No teasing in the hopes that you can get me going again!"

"But that takes all the fun out of it." He protested grumpily.

I gave him my most serious look. "Why tease me to get me off when you aren't really getting anything out of it?"

He raised an optic ridge at me. "Who says I'm not? You could return the affection you know? I wouldn't turn you away."

My cheeks erupted in a blush...again. Well he was right about each and every one of those points. I could feel him up knowing that he was enjoying it, he certainly hadn't turned me away the day of the dance. And well there had to be a reason for him feeling me up in the first place. Pervert. "We either play by my rules or no polishing."

"Fine."

I moved to lay down beside him on the couch after checking to see what Bob was doing. My little bug baby was in recharge on the floor near the table so I felt comfortable that we had time.

Sunny gestured for me to lay on my back after he turned to face me more fully with a bottle of polish and wax, and a fresh polishing rag.

I got comfortable, as much as I could when I was letting him touch me again. It was getting a little easier for me to handle their caresses, and honestly the only thing that held me back was virgin fear. Well that and uncertainty of the true depth of feelings the three of us shared. I would not give all of myself to them until I was sure that I loved them-and that they loved me. It was my one requirement.

Sunny seemed not to be paying much attention to me as he poured some polish onto the gray rag he was holding in one servo and moved it down to my stomach plating first.

The pressure was firm but soft, material of the rag whispering against my armor. It felt nice like a massage when I was in my human form. He worked in small circles to compensate for my little frame, the pressure easing the tenseness of the protoform beneath.

I sighed happily as he worked over my stomach, before switching to my arms. It never even crossed my processor to question the strange choice to skip my chassis or legs to jump to my arms. And it felt too good so I just let myself relax into it. He was even following my rules!

But Sunny was nothing if not devious and I realized with a start when he moved to my chassis that there was a reason for him skipping this part. He wanted to lull me into a state of tranquility.

So that when he pressed that rag into my chassis and centered right over my spark resided it would shock the pit out of me. And it did. It was like sexual stimulation.

My optics popped wide open a shuddering gasp escaping my vents. I saw his smirk, knew he was teasing me. Some primal part of me responded with an intense need to open my chassis and reveal my spark. I didn't know why. "Rules." I panted.

"Sorry. Didn't mean to." He passed over like he had not done it on purpose. Like pit he hadn't!

After that he finished up my front really quickly. "Roll over baby."

Wariness made me hesitate for a moment, worry for whether he would target my aft consuming me. He made a hurrying motion to encourage me to lay on my front. I gave him a warning look before doing so.

No sooner had I done so the bastard had upped his teasing by immediately going after my aft just like I thought he would-his touch firm.

"Sunny!"

"Sorry."

He wasn't sincere, didn't even sound like it as he kept rubbing my aft and thighs. At one point I was forced to clamp my thighs together when he slipped between them to tease my valve covering. "Sunny..."

"Accident."

"Liar." He moved up the rest of my back and finished me off.

"You can turn back over now."

When I did so he was suddenly propped up over the top of me literally out of nowhere. The rag and bottles were discarded on the couch carelessly as he leaned into my space lips descending on mine. I fumbled for a moment before matching his pace as best I could. He nipped, licked, and suckled my bottom lip into his mouth making me sigh. Kissing I could more than handle, I craved it even.

Even the soft touches fluttering down my frame were becoming easier for me to handle, gradually of course. Right now he was caressing my neck and shoulders while our glossas twined together, the touch feather soft yet firm. A total contradiction that it seemed only Sunny could pull off.

He could lay here on top of me frame so powerful and intimidating compared to my smaller one, yet there was a certainty that all of that power would never be used to harm me. That even though he could force me to do whatever he wanted he never would push anything on me. I believed in more than other's saw when they looked at him. It was why I could feel affection and maybe even love instead of fear or wariness when we were together. I know that I didn't say how much I appreciated everything about him often enough.

When he finally pulled away to let me breathe I made sure to. "Sunny thank you for everything you've done for me."

He paused in leaning back in for another kiss optic ridges furrowing. "What is that supposed to mean?"

For some reason what I said had confused him so I covered for it by pressing a brief kiss to his lips. I spoke against them sending tingles through me. "I didn't mean anything bad by what I said, I meant that I appreciate you and everything you do."

His lips fluttered when he spoke. "I know."

"Well I wanted to make sure that I told you anyways."

Our lips melded together in another much more heated kiss. We nipped at each other, licking each other's lips and glossas hurriedly.

A soft swishing caught my attention my optics drifted up over the back of the couch in time for a red helm to pop up over it, devious smirk already in place. Sideswipe. I tried to pull away to say something to him but Sunny growled and kissed me more insistently. It was then that I realized he was already well aware of Sideswipe being there. And well his kisses were phenomenal so I didn't think to try that hard when his glossa was practically stuffed down my throat.

Eventually he did break contact with me though he looked aggravated. He swiftly turned to glare at Sides. "Yes I know that you're there!"

"Well then why did you take so long to acknowledge me?" Sides pouted.

"Because you were being more annoying than usual!"

"Well I want kisses too!"

All of a sudden Sides leapt over the back of the couch nearly knocking Sunny off of it as he landed right beside me, almost knocking me off as well. He caught me in time to keep me from falling off while Sunny fumed over the scratch to his armor Sides had caused. And Sides? He was completely unconcerned with the threat lurking at the other end of the couch, instead leaning down to press a gentle kiss to my lips in greeting. Unlike Sunny's kisses Sides had a less dominating touch, that edge was still there but it was less noticable. He treated me like a precious object that he didn't want to break.

When he pulled away he was smiling that smile that meant he was up to something.

"Sides? What is that look for? Did you weld Shits and Assflapper to the ceiling?" After contemplating that for a moment I felt a wave of excitement in my spark. "DID YOU GET PICTURES?!"

"No none of that. Good idea for a future prank though."

I pouted dejectedly. "Then what?"

"I wanna go do something together while Sunny goes on patrol!"

I blinked in surprise not expecting that. "Like a date?"

"Yeah! Sunny got a one on one date so it's only fair that I get one too!"

That was true and I had promised to treat them both fairly. "Ok we can go out somewhere. Is Hound around though? I need somebot to watch Bob."

Sunny grunted. "He has patrol with Flareup and I. You'll have to either take him with or find somebot else to watch him."

"Opi or dad?"

Sides grimaced. "Well you may have no choice but I doubt that they would be pleased about your new pet."

I grimaced in turn...no probably not. Especially not once they learned that Bob would grow to be poisonous. If I wanted to go with Sides I had little choice though. Ratchet wouldn't do it. Ironhide would probably squish Bob. Chromia might shoot him. Arcee seemed like she might be ok with it but she had run a long patrol this morning so I didn't want to bother her. Optimus was also a no since he was always busy. Dad was busy as well most of the time...so opi was probably my only chance.

"I'll have to ask him real quick."

I prodded the bond to test if either of my adoptive creators were paying attention. **[Opi?]**

A wave of surprise hit me. **[Sparklet? Wha' are ya up ta? Ah 'aven't heard from ya all day.]**

**[I thought that you were busy and I was with Sunny so I blocked my side. Anyways I have a favor to ask you.]**

**[Ask away baby spark.]**

**[Well I want to go out with Sides on a date...but I umm have something that needs tending while I'm gone... So I wanted to ask if you could take care of it for me?] **

Opi's curiosity hit me. **[Some'hin tells meh dat dis is gonna be mo'e complicated den ah expect.]**

**[Probably. Maybe you should come to the twins room and see what I'm talking about?]**

**[Ahright. Be dere in a klik.]**

"He's coming here in a klik...I didn't tell him about Bob yet though."

Speaking of Bob he had just come out of his little catnap with a soft click. I hopped down from the couch and scooped him up from the floor. As soon as he was in my arms he skittered around to my back and latched onto me. I patted his helm, more to calm myself than him as the door alarm went off indicating somebot was outside.

Sides hopped up from the couch to answer the door which slid aside to reveal opi. He sauntered into the room stopping near me. "So whaddaya gotta show meh?"

Taking a deep breath to steady my racing nerves I reached behind me and pulled Bob off of my back. Upon presenting him to my opi I had the cringe worthy display of his optics widening behind his visor.

"Why do ya 'ave an insecticon?"

"Ummm he hatched yesterday...and umm imprinted on me? So I'm keeping him as a pet. Hound is going to help me train him."

"An' ya need meh ta watch 'im while ya go ou'?"

"Yes."

Opi shrugged. "Ok. Ah will say dat if 'e shows any aggression towards ya ah'm gonna shoot 'im. So long as 'e don' do dat ah'm ok wit' it."

A huge weight was literally lifted off of my shoulders.

"Prowler ain' gonna like it tho."

And then I instantly deflated. There was always a freaking catch! "Well Hound is going to be paying close attention to how he reacts to me as he grows. At the first sign of aggression towards me he's going to take him."

"Ahright. Ah'll take 'im bu' Prowler is gonna wanna 'ave a word witcha when ya get back."

I was so not looking forward to that. "Ok."

"Kay. Lemme see 'im den." He held his servos out and took Bob from me.

"Ok I have some energon pellets for him in case he gets hungry! Hound says he needs to eat every three hours so I'll give you some in case we don't get back before then."

"Ok. Any otha instructions?"

"Watch any metal objects that you don't want being eaten when Bob is wandering."

"Bob?"

"I named him Bob."

Opi raised an optic ridge after taking the required items from me. "Bob. Weir' name."

In return I just shrugged cause he really should have expected something like this from me cause I was a weirdo. "I'm weird."

Laughs rang out from all around me.

"Ah'll take goo' care of 'im for ya sparklet. Jus' 'ave fun while yo're ou' ok?"

"I will."

He bent to kiss my helm giving it a quick rub before turning and leaving the room. Bob peeked up over his shoulder as they left clicking a bit as if in farewell.

I laughed and blew him a kiss right before they turned out of sight.

"I've gotta get going too."

Before Sunny could leave I waved him down to my level so that I could steal another quick kiss. "Be safe."

He stole another kiss for himself, nodded once then left Sides and I alone in the room.

Sides grinned widely looking beyond excited. "Ready?"

"Yup! Do I need to bring anything with me?"

He shifted down to alt mode and opened the door for me. "Nope! I got it all covered! We just need to stop and grab some things from the cafeteria then we can go!"

Why did that sound dubious at best? What was he planning? Only one way to find out...

I climbed into his alt mode and let him take me to wherever he wanted.

* * *

The drive took us fifteen minutes. We ended up at the beach or more specifically the plataeu overlooking the beach where Sides let me out. He shifted to bi pedal mode and set up a blanket and picnic basket.

As fast as he had set it up he shifted back down to activate his holoform. He was wearing swim trunks so I got where this was going. I would have said that I hadn't brought a swimsuit but he produced that same skimpy black bikini that he had made me wear that one time.

"Here put it on so we can swim!"

The cursed garment was shoved at me, and before I could tell him hell no he was sprinting down the beach to dive headfirst into the water. I shook my helm at him before changing to my human form and inching around the back of Sides' alt mode where I hoped to change in peace.

It only took me a moment or two to slip the garment on. Never once did it occur to me that Sides could see out of his back end as well, nor did I spare the possibility a thought as I finally made my way down the beach to join him.

The water was somewhat cold when I stepped into it wading my way over to where Sides was standing. Once I was close enough he pulled me to him and spun us around in the ocean waves.

"Cybertron isn't an organic planet. There aren't any bodies of water to swim in." He admitted.

"Mmmm no wonder you like it so much." I pressed my body closer to his feeling the muscles rippling beneath his holoform skin. His red hair was plastered to his head looking several shades darker than its normal blood red. He looked...hot. Way hot.

His arms locked around my waist holding me in place against him. Our lips met in a gentle kiss. I wrapped my arms around his neck tilting my head so that I could deepen the kiss.

He slipped his hands down further to tightly grip my ass pulling me flush against him. I gasped when my abdomen bumped into his spike. "Sides!"

He pulled away to grin deviously at me. "Ye-es?"

"Your spike is poking me."

"Yes I know. Did you expect it to be less lively when you're wearing something like that?"

I flushed horribly when he purposefully brushed me against it again. My body reacted like it was meant to, becoming heated with arousal. A blush stretched from my cheeks down to my chest causing his grin to widen. I knew that I had only tempted him to torment me more but I could do nothing to stop it now.

Before I could react he swept me up into his arms causing my legs to start flailing when they left the soft ocean floor. They instinctively wrapped around his waist bringing our apexes flush against one another's. This did nothing to calm my embarrassment when I felt it poking my valve through the flimsy swimsuit bottoms I was wearing.

And he just grinned wider if possible, like he was completely innocent.

My arms tightened to hold me closer to him my chin finding purchase on his shoulder. There was literally no space between our bodies. Just like he wanted I'm sure. "You just wanted to get me in this suit and wet!" I accused.

His response was to grip my ass and squeeze it.

I squirmed against him, and oh Primus the things that the friction between us did to me. "Sides!"

"Hmmm?" He purred.

"Did you bring me out here just to fool around?"

"No. I just saw an opportunity to tease you and I took it."

Typical. I loved that about him though, even if he did embarrass me sometimes. "Well umm I'm thoroughly embarrassed now so can I get down so we can swim?"

"As you wish sweetspark." With one last teasing squeeze to my ass he let me slide back down into the water. Much to my relief. The water cooled off the heat that had built up in me.

"Let's swim!"

He stepped back held his arms out and let himself fall back into the water. Well I guess that was a way to swim! I lowered myself in and dove under the surface to give chase.

He wasn't swimming that far ahead of me so I caught up easily. We swam side by side my hand sliding into his as we came up for air. I wondered briefly if he actually needed to breathe even in holoform but he tugged me forward before I could ask him.

We kept above the surface this time keeping quiet. It was cold. The sun was also lowering in darkening the water noticably. For that reason, and because I knew that dusk was prime shark hunting time I kept us closer to the beach. I for one did not want to be eaten by jaws. If it was not possible for him to bite through me...well I still would prefer not to try it.

So we didn't go too far and soon enough we transitioned into a splash war. More like I splashed Sides and he tackled me into the water making me scream. He so cheated but it was still fun!

He brought us back up with me facing away from him and his arms were locked under mine in an iron tight hold. I laughed. "Sides! Put me down!"

"Ok!"

And then he threw me into an approaching wave. "SIDES!" I screamed just before I went plummeting under the surface of the water. Oh he was so going to get it for this!

I could see where he was standing so I swam at him like a shark under the water tackling him from beneath the waist. A forceful tug brought him under with me. A look of surprise and amusement was on his face. I grinned and broke away to swim like pit in the opposite direction where I broke the surface to take a gulp of air in before diving back under.

He was hot on my peds...at least I thought that he was. I got the ultimate shock of my life so far when I felt something that I assumed was Sides brush against my leg. When I turned to look back all of my breath escaped me in a rush of bubbles when my eyes landed on a huge shark. Literally a huge shark was circling me. OH MY GOD&amp;PRIMUS!

Just seeing it was enough to send me shooting to the surface. A bad idea since most sharks were ambush predators. And this one looked to be a great white. WHY WAS THIS HAPPENING TO ME?! I broke the surface and looked around for Sides. He was close to the shore where the water was only like knee deep. "SIDES!"

He looked in my direction at the same moment that something rammed me hard enough to take me under the surface. Luckily it was closed mouthed otherwise the hit would have torn me open. Either way the snout of this huge ass shark was pressed to my side and he was dragging me down.

My spark sped up in terror. I started punching it in the eyes and gills in the hopes that he would let me go. He broke off and circled me again giving me the opporunity to swim like mad towards the shore. I was shaking, spark racing, terror eating me alive. And I just knew he was following me. Sure enough when I looked back he was circling close. Please don't let him bite me!

I broke the surface roughly fifteen meters from shore.

"Clare!" Sides' real form was on the beach looking around frantically for me. His optics locked on me and widened in fear. I didn't need to ask why.

Cause the damn shark hit me again from behind. Closed mouth still but damn it hurt when 3000lbs of pure muscle hit me! In the space between one astrosecond and the next a plasma shot slammed into the water behind me. I didn't question where it came from, nor did I slow down to look and see if it hit it's target.

All I cared about was getting onto the shore. And I did. Faster than I ever had before. Thanks to Sides who grabbed me once I was close enough.

He pulled me into his arms uncaring that the salt water would eat his paint. His servos slid over my entire frame looking for any damage. Doubted that he would find any anywhere other than on my protoform. "Clare! Clare are you ok? What was that?"

"IT WAS JAWS!" I shrieked. "I SO CALLED ALMOST GETTING EATEN BY JAWS ONE DAY!"

"Jaws? That was a shark? It was almost as big as me!"

"I know."

He rubbed my back. "Are you ok?"

"Yes. He didn't bite me so I'm fine."

"Maybe we should not go swimming again today?"

"No probably not."

He carried me back up to the platuea where the blanket was set up, but he hesitated to sit me down. "Do you want me to take you back to base? Does Ratchet need to look at your protoform? I mean did it hit you hard enough to damage it?"

"I'm fine Sides. A little sore but it will be ok."

"Ok. Just tell me if it hurts and I'll take you back." With that he sat me down on the blanket.

Upon feeling the soft material beneath me I changed back to bot mode. Ha! I now had the bikini in my possession! Take that Sides! But ow my back hurt!

Sides distracted me by sitting down next to me. "I brought some energon candy and some weaker strength high grade. There's also regular grade if you don't want to get over charged." He rummaged around in the basket retrieving some energon cubes and one of those little black boxes that I knew contained those yummy energon candies.

I accepted a cube of high grade and one of the candies. I munched at the oval shaped candy while I sipped at the high grade. This time I was not going to get drunk. Just one cube and that was it!

"So is this date going well? Minus the jaws attack?"

"Mm hmm. That was scary but I'm still having fun. As long as we don't go back into the water I think I'll be ok."

"Ok."

We carried on drinking and eating the energon candies in relative silence. Sides fed me a few candies and held my cube of high grade for me so that I could drink from it. He was being exceptionally sweet, even more so than usual. I blushed and accepted his actions readily. What femme didn't like being treated like a Princess? Well I didn't like being coddled all the time but once in a while was nice.

Before I knew it I had drank more high grade than I had intended. Not enough to trash me but enough that I was a little tingly.

Sides smirked. "Lightweight."

"Says he who weighs as much as a car!"

He gave me a mock look of offense. "I will have you know that my weight is perfectly on target for my size! And besides sweetspark this is all muscle!"

I snorted. "You don't even have muscle! You have relays! Totally different!"

He waved me off. "Same thing."

"Not really."

"It is."

"No. I don't think so."

"Look at this bicep!" He flexed his arm which caused the plating to puff up as if there was actually a muscle under it.

"Very nice. However it is still not muscles! It looks muscular but it is different!"

He pouted.

"Sexier. It looks sexy." I licked my lips tasting the lingering traces of high grade and energon candy on them. "I like metal."

He leaned in close to my face and purred. "You are made of metal so you're supposed to. And I can show you some real nice metal."

Oh my Primus! What was it with sexual innuendos and the male species in general? And why must it have an effect even when I did not want it to? Cause those words made me get hot all over again. That combined with the slight buzz I had was more than enough to make me kiss him.

He laughed when I missed and hit his cheek instead. "I think you meant to kiss me here."

His servos guided my helm so that our lips could meet. It sent a thrill right through me fueled by the high grade zinging through my cables. I grabbed a hold of his cheeks and licked at his mouth until he opened up and let me in so that our glossas could lap at one another's.

The taste of energon candy and high grade mixed in with his naturally spicy and sweet taste made me moan in pleasure.

The next thing I knew I was on my back with him over me, knees on either side of me. He lowered himself down until we were pressed flush against one another my body pressed to his chassis and stomach.

Soft pants built up between us. The heat grew to a blistering intensity with each lick and nip. Sides started suckling my bottom lip, his servos wandering down to touch me. A keening sound rose up from my vocaliser when those touches tickled my chassis and thighs.

It was a smooth switch from just teasing my thighs to sliding between them to prod at my valve covering. I panted and squirmed as he shifted to make touching me easier. Part of me wanted to freeze or tell him no but a larger part, the part that was enamored told me to just wing it. I would blame opening my valve covering on the high grade later.

Unfortunately or fortunately he had no qualms about diving in with his digits. Prodding at my opening but never entering it, sliding up and down over the external ports, teasing all the right places.

I gasped, bucked, whimpered, and moaned as the heat built up inside of me coiling in my abdomen and spark chamber. Sparks started flickering across my plating with each flick of those talented digits.

His mouth descended on mine again glossa entering my mouth to stifle the pitiful keening sound I was making. He growled and devoured every noise I made, optics holding mine heatedly.

His experienced servos worked me to overload in no time at all. My back arched when the tide hit, a scream rising from my throat, sparks shooting into the air around me. My hips started wildly thrusting into the digits sliding over my soaked valve opening drawing the pleasure out for another klik before I finally slumped down against the ground.

Sides pulled back and lifted his digits to his mouth to lick all of the pink lubricant off of them. Then he dipped them back down and repeated it several more times to get as much as he could. I moaned and squirmed again each time he brushed against my overly sensitive valve.

"Sunny was right it is sweet. If only you would let me lick it all up..." He sighed wistfully.

I regained enough of a sense of processor to blush. Even so I laid there until he had gathered all of it onto his digits to lick off.

Once he had as much as he could get without actually physically leaning down to lick it all up he sat back on his aft, just watching me.

I popped my valve covering back on before sitting up as well. He hadn't said anything but the slight rise to his sodpiece told me that he was aroused. We hadn't been together that long...but I had liked him for as long as I had liked Sunny, and since I had already done this with Sunny maybe it would be ok to...

"What are you doing sweetspark?" He asked when I crawled towards him on servos and knees.

Reaching out I lightly traced a servo over his sodpiece making him jerk.

"Sweetspark?"

"I owe you not just for giving me an overload, but for saving me from Jaws."

He cocked his helm at me. "You don't have to if you're not ready sweet."

"If I wasn't I wouldn't ask you to open your sodpiece." I tugged at the plating gently.

Taking the hint he popped it off revealing a spike to equal Sunny's even after he mass shifted it, the only difference was that Sides' cables were a darker shade of gray and the piston was a lighter shade of bronze than Sunny's.

Taking a deep breath I reached out, grasped it, and pumped it.

Sides groaned much louder than Sunny had when I had done this to him. He was much more vocal that was for sure. It thrilled me to hear the sounds he made when I stroked him. Maybe it wasn't something to be embarrassed about so much as it was something to feel proud of? I could touch them and make them feel good and I liked it.

I liked the feel of him in my grasp. I liked the way his piston pumped up and down in time with my strokes. I especially liked the way that he moaned and bucked his hips into my servos. It felt great to see him reduced to this state because of something that I had done.

My spark sped up when he swelled in my servos releasing a series of loud moans and grunts. I squeezed and pumped faster to bring him to overload. My marks started sparking like they had with Sunny, jumping from me to his spike enveloping it.

His entire frame tensed like a bowstring drawn tight, helm falling back as a deep guttural snarl rose from his vocaliser. And then his hips shot up nearly taking me into the air, transfluid spewing from his spike like a geyser. He fell back against the ground bucking his hips into the servos that were barely holding onto him at this point.

The thick blue liquid rained down on me. Again. Some of it dripped into my mouth when I gasped in surprise, the taste was salty and sweet surprisingly.

Sides slumped to the ground panting once his overload finally stopped. His optics drifted to hold mine as he held a servo out to beckon me over to him.

I crawled into his arms where I lay contentedly. Well as contentedly as I could when I was covered in more robo jizz. It was sticky and warm... "Umm Sides?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm covered in your robo jizz. Umm but I'm too scared of Jaws to get into the water and wash it off."

He huffed. "The salt water would damage your armor and protoform anyways. There's tons of small ponds around here so we'll just find one to rinse off in. Then when we get back we'll stop at the wash racks."

"Ok."

We cuddled together for some time before we finally decided to head back to base.

* * *

The last thing I wanted to see as we pulled into the hangar was my dad standing there with his arms crossed over his chassis, wings rigidly sitting on his back, and opi standing beside him looking sheepish. Sunny was there as well standing not too far from them yet still far enough away that neither of them could touch him.

Knowing that they would be able to smell what we had been doing made me reluctant to get out of Sides. "Do you think we can get around them?" I whispered.

"Nope. They blocked off the hallway."

Damn! I curled up in the seat fearfully.

"Come on sweetspark! They might not react that bad to the smell. Besides Prowl came here to yell at you about Bob! Maybe he'll be so focused on that that he won't notice the smell." Sides offered cheerfully. Yeah well he wasn't going to be so cheerful when dad beat his aft or something...or worse brigged him.

With a sigh I relented and got out of him. Sides transformed beside me as well.

Sunny raised an optic ridge almost immediately when he saw the parts of paint that had been eaten away by the salt water when Sides had grabbed me. Or maybe he had smelled the transfluid and lubricant?

"Clare!" Dad's sharp commanding voice had me snapping my optics in his direction where he was now holding Bob. "What is this? Why do you have it?"

"Umm he's my pet?" I trailed off slowly.

Dad's wings went even more rigid if that were possible. "This is not a pet! An insecticon can kill you! You cannot keep him!"

"But Bob is nice!" I protested vehemently. "He hasn't show any aggression towards me at all! Besides he's just a baby he can still be trained!"

"Insecticons are mindless beasts! He cannot be trained!"

I stomped my ped. "He can too! Hound is going to help me!" Everything else faded away as my temper exploded. Bob was harmless! He was just a baby! He was my pet! Nobot was going to take him from me without a good reason!

"You are not allowed to keep him!" Dad repeated. "He will grow to be larger than you! He will attack or even attempt to eat you!"

"No he won't! Give him back!" I stomped towards him. "Bob come!"

Bob clicked then scurried down dad's armor and over to me faster than he could react. I wrapped my arms around him defensively. "See? He's nice!"

Steam started blowing out of his vents leading me to believe that he was about to either explode or glitch. "You cannot keep him! I demand that you give him back so that I may dispose of him!"

"No!"

"Clare hand the insect over right this astrosecond!"

"No!"

His entire frame started shaking with barely concealed anger. "Clare if you do not cease I will take him by force! If I am forced to do so I will let you spend the rest of the night in the brig for disobedience!"

I held my ground fearlessly. "He is my bug baby and you are not taking him! Hound said he appears docile and he's going to observe his behavior as he grows so that there's less of a risk of any accidents!"

"I do not care! Hound can risk his own sparkling not mine!"

When he reached out to snatch Bob from me I spun and skittered out of his reach whipping up the air around me. I dashed over to hide behind Sunny's leg since he was closest. Peeking out I noticed that dad was crouched in the same exact spot that he had been. An unreadable expression was present on his face. What was that all about? I was so busy looking at him that I didn't notice Sides stiffen.

**[Clare...is that the smell of transfluid and lubricant clinging to you?]**

Oh slag me sideways he smelled it! Oh scrap! Oh pit! Oh holy fragging poptarts for cereal! **[Ummm I don't know is it?] **

My response did not amuse him. It did nothing to soothe him or opi who had gone rigid as well. Dad rose wings held high in obvious anger as he stepped towards Sides. "Sideswipe...why does my sparkling smell like lubricant and transfluid after returning from an outting with you?"

"Ummm gee does she? What is that all about?" Sides pretended not to know.

"Do you mean to tell me that you took her out only to return her smelling as such, yet you have no idea why?"

Sides cringed away. "Uh yeah?"

In turn I cringed once I realized where this was going...with Sides ending up in the brig. Not even Bob's clicking seemed to be distracting dad and he was the reason this fight had started in the first place! It only took me a moment to decide that I needed to do something or else Sides was toast.

I grabbed Bob and sat him on Sunny's leg where he regarded me before climbing up the plating until he was resting on Sunny's shoulder. Said bot looked down at me as if to say _'why the pit is your thing on me?'_

"Watch him while I save Sides from dad."

Without waiting for a response I started in the direction of my adoptive creator. "Dad stop it right now!"

His helm whipped around in my direction. "What?"

"I said stop it! Sides and Sunny are my mechfriends! What did you expect when you found out about this? Couples fool around! We didn't interface so chill out!"

"He-"

"Did not force me to do anything! I did everything willingly."

Dad looked like he wanted to argue with me.

"Don't. Sides didn't do anything wrong and neither did I. You're being unreasonable."

"Unreasonable? It's my job to ensure that you not only behave but are treated respectably."

"And I am treated better than respectably by both! Just because I do things with them doesn't mean that any of us are trying to disrespect you or anybot else. Nobot accuses you of anything when you and opi do stuff!"

A slight tinge of blue broke out across dad's cheeks. "We are a mated couple it is different."

"And I'm seeing the twins so it's not like a casual fling! I don't do things like that anyways so there's no need to worry! I appreciate the protectiveness but I'm a grown femme of breeding age!"

It seemed that we had reached a stalemate with neither of us wanting to back down. I loved my adoptive creators, really I did but they weren't going to dictate how I lived my life. They would not be allowed to rule over me governing every decision I made. This was not a dictatorship. "Look dad I love you and opi, you're the only parents I've ever had. But that doesn't mean that I can't make my own choices. And that's what happened, I chose to mess around while I was out. While I respect that you aren't happy about it there's not much that you can do to change it. If I want to fool around with the twins I will. End of story."

"I did not mean to...make you feel like I was trying to control you. I merely wish to ensure that you are safe and well cared for." Dad admitted. He seemed to have mostly calmed down by now.

"I know. And most things I will listen to you about! The only two things that I won't being the twins and Bob."

His wings twitched atop his back contemplatively while we stared each other down. It was silent in the hangar. Nobot made a single sound.

Then a sigh. "Fine. I am not pleased about any of these developments but your reasoning is viable. As much as I wish that I could deny it you are grown and able to make your own decisions. However I feel that I must inform the twins that if they cause any harm to you it will be their helms lining the wall of my office as trophies. The same goes for your pet."

I gulped nervously. "O-Ok."

Dad nodded curtly. "Very well... I must return to my work, but I do wish for you to join us at a decent time tonight."

A sheepish smile spread across my lips... Yeah I had a tendency to stay out late on weekends with the twins in their room. More than once I had woke my creators when I returned to go to bed. "Ok. I'll be back before eleven. Sound good?"

"Quite. See that you are back before then."

With that he turned and left the hangar with opi trailing along behind him after winking at me. I just watched them go until Sides bounded over to me.

"Wow you really put Prowl in his place!" He praised me.

"It was rather impressive." Sunny agreed.

My gaze snapped back to where he was absently petting Bob. "What's really impressive is that you haven't thrown Bob yet." I teased.

His servo stopped it's rythmic petting as if he just realized that he was doing it. Then with startling speed Bob was being handed off to me by a scowling Sunny.

I allowed Bob to climb onto my back with a soft chuckle. It really was cute when Sunny acted out of character. "So what do you guys wanna do next? Well Sides and I need to wash off but after that we have a few hours to hang out."

Sunny shrugged. "Watch a movie, play a game, or make out?" He offered.

"Whore."

"Fairness baby. Remember?" He scooped me up and started towards the wash racks.

The move jostled my back where Jaws had rammed me earlier. "Ow."

Sunny's optics drifted down to me. "What?"

"Oh Jaws tried to eat me earlier."

"Jaws? That shark from that movie?"

I waved carelessly. "All sharks are referred to as Jaws by me. Anyways he was huge! Like almost as big as Sides and he rammed me in my human form!"

"Okkkk..."

I just shrugged...Sunny just didn't understand anything about Jaws.

Maybe I should show him Jaws 3 and 3 to make him understand?

That was actually a really good idea! Right after we showered it was going to be a Jaws marathon! I couldn't wait!

* * *

R&amp;R! Some Sides limeade for ya! Next chapter is mostly about christmas shopping and all that good stuff. Should be good though if I get it done right! Until next time! Review time!

**Coolgal02**\- Bob is cute...**^.^ **Glad you like it!

**FireStrike1177**\- No her poor virgin mind is going to be severely tested for many chapters coming up especially by the twins! Thanks for remembering to review! I'm still waiting to see what happens in your story this Friday!

**himelove22**\- Yes I do love putting her in situations like these lol.

**gemava**\- I have a few ideas for the other sequence but you'll have to wait and see. As for healing she can already do that remember? And yes Bob is awesome!

**VulcanFanGirl**\- :D BOB!

**Sorana3**\- I'm glad you're liking it! No no female would ever want to be put through THAT exam... Poor Clare. I love making her suffer though lol. And as you can see Sunny is getting attached even if he's trying to deny it.

**Izzy-dragon-rider**\- **^.^ BABY BOB! **I love him too! And yes poor twins and Clare...

**HeartsGuardianSol**\- Well Jazz was pretty cool about it! Prowl...not so much...

**DarkshadowXsunny-sides**\- True no one likes their stuff checked. I'm so mean. Bob is the ultimate pet XD!


	22. Chapter 22

So we're at over 13,000 views&amp;100faves&amp;follows! That's freaking awesome! Yay a very Autobots Christmas starting this chapter! It's picking out presents that's the hard part of this whole tangent we're getting into! What do a bunch of giant alien robots want for Christmas? The questions of life XD! Anyways I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

The worst part about Christmas was walking around the mall trying to find presents, especially for giant aliens from another planet. Giant metal aliens. I had to wade through a mass of people running like idiots from store to store trying to get gifts for their friends and family.

Mikeala had come with me and together we had gotten almost everything on our lists.

My list was as follows:

**Ratchet- A new set of Auto repair tools.**

**Hound- A book on earth animals and their habits.**

**Dad- A book on the history of the world and war tactics.**

**Opi- Some cds produced by his favorite artists and bands.**

**Arcee&amp;Flareup&amp;Chromia- Polish and wax to replace what the first two had used on me, and some airsoft guns for the last one. Didn't know what else to get her. Maybe she could design some new weapons based off of them?**

**Ironhide- Some books on human weapons from all different points in time.**

**Shits and Assflapper- A book on proper social behavior along with a dictionary to scan in case they were too stupid to read the first gift.**

**Optimus- Some meditation guides. My reasoning for getting him that was because he really needs to relax when he can.**

**Sides- The Evil Within.**

**Sunny- Some high end wax and polish, along with some new polishing rags.**

**Bee- Some cds since I knew he liked earth music of all kinds.**

**Sam- Some new clothes.**

**Aunt Judy- A nice new blue sundress.**

**Uncle Ron- Some new dress shirts for when he went to business parties.**

So far I had everything on my list with the exception of Sunny's stuff, opi's, and Bee's. Right now Mikeala and I were on our way to the music store to get the cds I wanted for Bee and opi. Afterwards we had to hit the auto detailing store. Yes they have one in our mall. Everything needed for cleaning or painting a car can be found there.

We chatted about unimportant things as we entered the music store and browsed the cds. Every once in a while I would add a few to my basket. I knew that opi had a thing for rap so I got him the big name titles. Most of which I did not recognize.

I also got some assorted rock&amp;roll cds for Bee. Mikeala helped me pick out both of their gifts. Hopefully they liked them all.

After paying for them at the checkout counter we left to go to the auto store. Thankfully it was less busy in there so I was able to grab the polish, wax, and rags quickly and with no issues. So far we had actually almost got into a few fights like when some bitch tried to take Sides' game from my hands. Mikeala had to pull me away from her when I yanked the game back only for the girl to come at me with the intention to take it again. First come first serve bitch!

Then I had to turn around and pull Mikeala off of a girl that tried to take the shirt she was getting for Sam. And she said that I was bad! She actually got physical in no time flat! If I was human I would be scared of her! Ya know if she wouldn't break her own hand by punching me.

At the end of this excursion I was more than ready to get out of the damn mall! I was going to go home and wrap all of these presents for my trip to the base tomorrow, then I was going to shower and laze about until bedtime.

Ironhide had dropped us off at the mall but I think that somebot else was coming to pick us up afterwards. I had no idea who until we stepped into the parking lot. As soon as my eyes landed on the twin forms I squealed and ran over to jump onto the hood closest which happened to be Sides.

He rumbled with laughter beneath me.

I kissed his hood repeatedly before walking around to open the driver's side door. "You don't mind if Mikeala rides do you?"

"No problem. You might wanna go and kiss Sunny though cause he's jealous." Sides snickered.

"Ok. I'll ride with him and you can take Mikeala home. Does that sound ok?"

"Sure. I'll be around after ok?"

"You both get to stay?"

"Yeah. Sunny will explain on the way."

Shrugging I stepped back and gestured Mikeala over. "Sides is going to take you home ok? I'll see you at school tomorrow."

She hugged me quickly. "Ok. See you then Clare!"

We released each other to go to our respective rides. I stopped briefly to pile my bags into Sunny's trunk before I slid into the passenger seat. No sooner had I done that his holoform popped up beside me in the driver's seat.

"Hey Sunny." I leaned over to kiss him.

We pulled away from one another as he started his engine and pulled out of the parking spot. "So how comes Sides got greeted first?" He asked while he drove.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Cause he was closer. The real question is how come both of you are allowed to be here at the same time?"

This time he rolled his eyes. "Well it was my day to come and watch you. Sides was allowed to come because it was his off day, that and he took Flareup's morning patrol tomorrow. So we both get to be here to take you to base tomorrow."

"Well I'm happy! The only time we get to do things with all three of us together is on base. It'll nice to be able to hang out when we can go into town and do something like watch a movie." I back tracked over what I had just said when something about it rang off to me. As soon as I realized what it was I smiled sheepishly. "So long as we don't let Sides pick it this time. That is if we go do that."

"Let's not and say we did... Especially after our last movie theater experience."

I giggled when I thought back to Sides picking Spongebob Sponge out of Water last time we went to see a movie. He really was adorable and since then he had started actually watching Spongebob with me whenever it came on. "Ok. Well we can do something else like going to the roller rink? They also have a rink where you can ice skate. Or there is bowling."

"Bowling? And what's ice skating?"

"Why must you guys always ask me to explain things when you can just look it up?" I asked exasperated.

He shrugged. "Because I feel like it."

Real helpful and informative. "You know what? If you decide to try any of them you can see when we get there."

He scowled at me.

"Do not give me that look." I huffed. We both fell silent after that for the rest of the drive home. Sunny seemed frustrated.

He pulled into the driveway fifteen kliks later and got out. I watched him go around to the trunk and open it before I got out to help him carry stuff in, specifically the stuff that was his and Sides'. Together we carried all of the bags up to my room where I had to shoo Sunny out from so that I could wrap his and Sides' stuff.

A scowl graced his features as I shooed him out. Before I shut the door I pulled him in for a quick kiss. "Stop sulking or no more kisses today! It'll only take me a few kliks to wrap your stuff then you can come back. If Sides comes make sure he stays downstairs until I call for you."

With that I shut the door and locked it, not that it would stop either of them if they wanted in bad enough. Settling down in the middle of the floor I quickly wrapped their gifts. Sides' didn't need to be put in anything but Sunny's did so I fished out an old box and neatly put the items in it before wrapping it in the brightly colored silver and red wrapping paper I had. Literally it only took me like five kliks to do it all.

Well now it was safe to go down and bring Sides and Sunny up. When I went to find them they were in the kitchen.

I took one look at what they were doing and almost facepalmed. "Sides...What are you doing?"

Sides looked up from where he had jammed straws in his nose and mouth...making him look like a walrus. Sunny was sitting beside him with his chin in his palm while he watched with a frown.

"Why do you have straws in your mouth and nose?"

He shrugged. "Dunno."

I just watched him for a moment before shaking my head. "Are you really that bored?"

"Sunny said that we weren't allowed to come upstairs so yes I was bored. I figured that as long as I didn't break anything it would be ok."

"It is. I was just wondering why you decided to stuff straws in your nose...?" Well...I had done the same thing many times before so...

He looked sheepish. "I have no idea."

Well what-? A sudden idea popped into my head! Ooooh I was so going to get revenge for when they had ganged up on me and made me pass out the other day! "I have a better idea! Hold on a klik!"

I ran back up to my room to grab a box of Every Flavored Jelly Beans. Oh they were so going to get it! The only issue was going to be getting Sunny to eat them. Maybe a bet? A challenge? What would two mechs want...oh. Well I had an idea but hopefully they could be steered into something else.

Well only one way to find out! I quickly ran back downstairs to the kitchen where Sides and Sunny were still sitting at the table. "Ok I have a challenge for both of you!"

They both perked up eyeing the box in my hands, Sunny did so with disdain. "What's the challenge?" Sides asked.

"Well it's more like a bet!" I shook the box in my hands enticiningly. "I bet that you two can't eat this entire box of jelly beans!"

"What's a jelly bean?"

"A type of human candy that is normally really sweet or fruit flavored. These however are called Every Flavored Jelly Beans, and they can either be good flavored or bad flavored. I bet that you two can't eat this entire box."

Sides cocked his head to the side causing his red bangs to flutter in front of his eyes. He quickly swept them back out of the way so that they weren't irritating him. "What do we get if we win?"

"Well whatever you want...**WITHIN REASON!**"

They both shared a look with one another before turning back to me. "Deal. If we win we want a naked picture of you in both forms."

My jaw almost dropped to my knees only barely being restrained from doing so. Chances were that they wouldn't be able to do it anyways without cheating and cheating voided the bet. "Deal but if you cheat the bet doesn't count. You have to keep your taste receptors on, chew the jelly beans, and swallow them without throwing up."

"Deal."

"And both of you have to finish the box. That means Sunny has to eat them too. The entire box, both of you!"

"Like we said deal!" Sides held his hand out for the box. He opened it and poured the jelly beans onto the small bowl in the center of the table.

I sat down between them and propped my chin up on my elbows as they both took one in their hand and eyed it warily. From what I could see Sides either had grass or green apple, and Sunny had either rotten egg or butter popcorn. "Eat them." I sang.

Sunny popped his into his mouth and chewed it. Almost immediately he actually gagged.

Sides watched him curiously before he popped his own into his mouth. He chewed it for a moment. "Mmmm this is good!" Obviously he got green apple.

Sunny coughed and gagged. "This is fragging disgusting! It tastes like-I don't even know what it tastes like! It's fragging horrible!"

"It's called rotten egg."

Sunny glared at me.

"Not my fault that you accepted the bet." I shrugged. "Well eat the next one unless you're giving up. In that case I guess that no naked pictures are going to be taken since both of you have to eat the whole box."

Sides grabbed two more and handed one to Sunny. "Do it for the naked pictures Sunny."

"Why? I'll see her naked in both forms at some point anyway."

"We can use it for masturbating material until then."

I blushed. "SIDES!"

He grinned and popped his jelly bean into his mouth. From what I could tell it was either booger or lime. When he grimaced and gagged I figured it was booger.

Sunny smirked. "Like the taste of that Sides?" He popped his own into his mouth. It was either orange or vomit. Secretly I was hoping that it was vomit cause I wanted to see how he would react to it. Unfortunately he just chewed it with a relieved look on his face. Orange. Damn.

"What was that taste?" Sides shuddered.

"Booger."

"What's a-"

"Look it up for yourself."

Sides pouted but did as I requested mouth dropping in horror when he found out what a booger was. Oh this was going so much better than I was hoping for. "Are you quitting yet?" I teased him.

"No." He gave the bowl a determined look and grabbed another jelly bean. It was another orange one meaning it was either orange or vomit.

Sunny grabbed a brown jelly bean. It was either chocolate pudding or dog food I think...or it could be dirt.

Sides popped his jelly bean into his mouth and chewed it before suddenly cupping both hands over his mouth and gagging violently. "OH MY PRIMUS THAT-THAT IS DISGUSTING! WHAT IS THAT?!"

"Oooh that was vomit. Sorry Sides." What I wasn't gonna tell them was that each flavor was in the box multiple times. That would ruin everything.

It was actually kind of funny to see how Sunny reacted to the way Sides reacted; he busted out laughing before popping his jelly bean into his mouth. Almost immediately the laughter cut off when he started gagging as well. So dirt or dog food.

"You can always give up on the pictures." I taunted. This challenge was so in the bag.

"No." Sides coughed. "The pictures are worth it. Can-can I have something to drink?"

"Nothing too sugary because that can be used to cheat. Do you want some tea or something too Sunny?"

"No. These abominations are bad enough as it is."

Well if he didn't want it I only had to get Sides and myself some. I rose from my chair and filled two glasses from the cabinet with tea and Sunkist for me. I could hear Sides and Sunny fumbling with the beans and gagging at least once while I was doing this. Wonder what kind of flavor they got this time?

"OH PRIMUS THAT'S HOT!" Sides yelped. Black pepper...

Feeling pity for him I hurried back over to the table with his glass. He was fanning his mouth with tears streaming down his cheeks. "Here Sides." I handed him the glass of unsweetened tea. It was practically torn out of my hand and guzzled down in astroseconds. Umm...

Shrugging I took my seat between them again beside a still grimacing Sunny. "What color was it?"

"White."

"Oh so rotten egg." I sipped at my Sunkist casually while they suffered. Why they didn't quit was beyond me... Maybe they really were desparate for those pictures or maybe it was more about their competative streak. Probably a little bit of both.

"Baby...we will get you back for this one solar cycle." Sunny promised.

"Oh no you won't! You can quit at any time! Therefore you are doing this to save your pride when you don't have to! Quit if you want."

"Never." Sunny growled. "You challenged us and we will perservere until the end if only to get those primus damn pictures!" With renewed vigor he grabbed another jelly bean, another orange one and popped it in his mouth. His reaction to what must have been the vomit flavor was as bad as Sides' was!

He gagged so hard that he spit chunks of jelly bean all over the tabletop. "WHAT THE SLAGGING FRAG?!"

Sides laughed at him only to gag when he popped a lighter yellow one into his mouth. It must have been earwax. "AWWW PIT!"

I took some still photos of their reactions while giving the pretense that I was sitting there doing nothing at all. Wow this was more entertaining than I had thought it would be. In a way I kind of felt bad for them though. Oh well!

It took another hour for them to finish the box. I was slightly dismayed that they had won the bet but hey it was worth it to see their reactions to each flavor. From good to bad, the surprise when something good hit their tongue, to when the opposite happened and they gagged. It was all worth it. Sometime in the future I would have to make them do another jelly bean challenge.

As soon as they finished the box Sides stood and slammed his fists down on the table. "TAKE THAT HUMAN CANDY ABOMINATIONS!" He yelled triumphantly.

I blinked when he pointed a finger at me. "Yes?"

"You owe us naked pictures!"

"Yes I know."

"Then strip!" He demanded.

"How about not in my kitchen where my Aunt or Uncle could walk in?" I rolled my eyes at him before standing and walking up the stairs with my once more refilled cup of sunkist.

"You better strip when you get up there!"

A blush crept up to my cheeks. Why did I even agree to do this in the first place? Why didn't I make the reward whatever I wanted so that I could not be embarrassed like this?! A deal was a deal no matter how embarrassing it was.

When we entered my room I sat my cup down on my desk while both of them got comfortable on my bed. Eager expressions were present on both of their faces. I huffed anxiously. "One picture in human form and one in real form that was the deal."

Sides grinned. "We know."

Sunny leaned back with his arms behind his head and a cocky smirk on his face. "So get stripping."

I glared at him to let him know that I was not pleased as I grabbed the hem of my shirt and lifted it over my head. The bra I was wearing was ice blue lace and both of them focused in on what it contained...like horndogs. Next went my jeans revealing a matching pair of panties.

At this point I slowed down once my fingers hitched around the hooks of my bra.

"You have to do it." Sides sang mockingly. Why that little jerk. Sunny smirked beside him and nodded slowly.

Afts. Taking a deep steadying breath I released the clasps holding my bra together and let it fall, before quickly jamming my fingers into the waistband of my panties and sliding those down as well. There I was now naked in front of them! Pale, naked, and shaking.

Sometimes I wondered if all females got this nervous when being surveyed by the males they cared about for the first time? Did they wonder if whoever was watching liked what they saw? I know that I was hoping they did. It would disappoint me if they didn't.

Two pairs of eyes did a complete head to toe look. Neither looked displeased from what I could tell.

"Do we get to see the back?" Sides pressed eagerly. I guess that meant that they didn't dislike it.

"No. The deal was one picture in each form. One. Not two or three or four. If I turn away from you you're going to steal more pictures."

"We promise not to."

Why did they want to see my pale human ass? "If I see any of these pictures lining the rec room I am sooo going to be pissed off." I warned as I turned and revealed my back to them.

Astroseconds after I turned around I felt large hands suddenly grip my ass. My head whipped around to the side eyes landing on Sides standing right behind me. "Sides!" I reached down to bat his hands away but he held on.

"A nice firm aft." He purred.

"You're enjoying this way too much Sides." I squirmed, one arm covering my breasts from view while I tried to break his hold with the other. Damn he had a grip on him!

He snickered before giving my ass a squeeze. "We get a naked picture of you in your real form too." He reminded me.

"I know that! Can you let go of my ass so that I can transform?"

His grip was gone in a flash. "Sure!"

When I turned around Sides was still standing relatively close to me like an overeager puppy or something. I gave him a quick scowl before changing to bot form.

My plates fell to the floor with a clang leaving me in my protoform. I just wanted to get this all over with then wrap the presents so screw modesty when they had already seen me naked less than ten astroseconds ago.

"Mmmmm." Sides growled. I saw his eyes dim once indicating that he had taken a still photo.

"What are you doing?" I backed away when he approached me making grabby motions with his hands. "No touching!"

"Yeah right!" He lunged at me only for me to duck out of the way last second. Taking the chance while he recovered I changed back to human form and grabbed up my clothes from the floor before making a mad dash towards the bathroom.

Arms locked around my shoulders spinning me around to face Sides. That meant that Sunny was holding me. "HEY!"

Sunny took me to the floor where he pinned me on my back with my wrists locked above my head. "Paybacks are a glitch." He smirked. One of his hands slid down to my stomach where he fluttered his fingers over the skin.

I busted out laughing at the tickling sensation. "NO!"

Sides bounced over to kneel down beside us so that he could join in tickling me.

Here I was laying pinned to the floor naked, being tickled to the point where I was kicking and screaming, with two perverted mechs as my captors. I kept bucking and arching to try and throw Sunny off as I laughed and shrieked. Damn me for being ticklish!

I was so going to get back at them for this after we went back to base. That reminded me that I needed to pack some things for my stay!

"Sunny stop! I need to pack stuff for my stay at base!"

He obliged me ending the tickle torture finally, but he didn't let me up right away. "I'll let you up if you earn it."

The frag was that supposed to mean?! My eyes locked on his lips when his tongue flicked over his bottom lip. Oh so that was what he was getting at. So I had to kiss him so that he would let me up? For the love of...these two were impossible!

My hands fisted at his slightly shaggy blonde hair and tugged until his head lowered enough that I could press my lips against his.

All three of us ended up making out for roughly ten minutes with me switching back and forth between the two of them equally. Sunny finally let me up after that allowing me to pack my stuff.

If my extended stay at the base was anything like this day it would be a lot of fun.

* * *

The next day came and before I knew it we were at base. I hid the presents in my room under opi and dad's berth first thing. Then I unpacked my things and put them away in the dresser set up for me. After that I had training with Chromia again which went as it normally did, only this time she praised me for making improvements on my reaction time and movements. I still got my aft handed to me but it was nice to hear her say that I was improving.

Afterwards I showered before retrieving Bob from the cage that Hound had given me to hold him in when I wasn't around. He clicked happily and climbed onto my back as we walked down the halls. Dad and opi were busy working until later so maybe this would be a good time to go and see Hound?

I did not expect to run into a mech in the hall that I had not seen before. Neither Sides nor Sunny had told me anything about a new arrival. I was eager to find out who he was. He had glowing helm fins that shone a bright blue, and his finish was mostly silver.

He seemed as surprised to see me as I was to see him. "Hello! You must be Clare!"

Or maybe not! "Yes I am! And this is Bob!" I introduced Bob.

"My designation is Wheeljack! I heard about you from the twins and Jazz!"

"Oh? Only good things I hope?"

"Mostly. Jazz informed me that he and Prowl adopted you."

"They did."

"I also heard that you were being courted by the twins."

I blushed. "I am."

He cocked his helm at me looking curious. "I have never seen an insecticon that was so docile. How do you keep him so?"

"I don't he's just like that." Bob clicked so that I would pet him. He purred when I did his antennas brushing against my cheek. "So what do you do?"

His optics brightened. "I'll show you!"

"No you won't." A rough voice growled.

Both of us turned around optics taking in Sunny standing there with Sides. "Hi Sunny! Hi Sides!" I chirped. "I was just getting to know Wheeljack! He seems nice."

Sunny grunted. "He is until he blows you up."

Blows...you up? What was that supposed to mean? "Umm he was going to show me-"

"No he's not. Wheeljack's work room is one place that you will never be allowed to go in."

Wheeljack made a small huffing sound. "I will have you know that everything I am working on at this moment has an explosion rate of less than sixty percent!"

I blinked...what? Explosion rate? Was he a demolitions bot like Flareup? "Ummm explosion rate?"

"Wheeljack here is an inventor." Sides explained. "Unfortunately he tends to blow everything he's working on up at least a few times before he finishes it. That means that you would be at risk if you went into his work space."

"That is why you aren't allowed to go." Sunny finished with a tone of finality.

Oh...but I kind of wanted to see what he was making anyways... Sides and Sunny wouldn't let me go though, and if I tried it I wouldn't get very far. The last thing I needed was to start a fight with either of them anyways.

Wheeljack pouted. "But I wanted to show her my aging beam."

"No." Sunny repeated. He snatched me up before I could protest.

"Sorry Wheeljack. Maybe we can talk more later?" I offered.

"I would like that. Maybe then I can show you my aging beam." His finials flashed with his excitement.

Sunny growled dangerously. "If I catch you trying to take her into your work room I am going to jam my blades up your aft pipe."

"Sunny there's no need to be mean."

He didn't say anything. Wheeljack chose that moment to bid us farewell and make a hasty escape to save his aft. It was definitely a good choice on his part to leave us.

"How come nobot told me that he was coming?" I asked as Sunny turned and started carrying me back towards Hound's room. Oh that's right! We had to do an observation and checkup for Bob today!

"Because everybot knows how curious you are, and with Wheeljack around that curiosity could get you hurt. We wanted to wait to tell you until things settled down a bit."

Hmph! So not fair! I was silent for the most part until we reached Hound's room despite my pouting. The green mech did not invite us in, instead he led us outside of the main base and into a small section of trees where he instructed me to let Bob wander a bit.

I wasn't sure what the point of the exercise was but I let Bob down anyways. He scurried around for a few moments sniffing at trees and rocks, frequently returning to me before wandering off again. Hound watched everything he did, literally everything. He didn't seem surprised that Bob kept rubbing against my legs in between prodding at things.

"Walk away from him Clare." Hound instructed me.

I shrugged before walking a fair distance away from Bob when he was distracted. Once he was finished sniffing at the flower or whatever it was he turned around in the direction that I had been standing. His antennas shot up straight as a frenzied clicking started up. Then he started up that high pitched screeching noise again.

It cut off as soon as his orange optics landed on me. A higher pitched clicking echoed around the clearing as he scurried towards me like the devil was on his heels. He even climbed up onto my back and tucked himself down against it.

I blinked. Well that was weird.

"He seems to have a stronger attachment to you than I anticipated."

"Well I'm around him a lot." I reasoned.

"Yes but I care for him during the week, I put twice as much time into caring for him as you do. Yet he still does not have nearly as strong of an attachment to me."

"Well he's been more attached to me since the beginning. You did say that he imprinted on me."

"Yes I did. And he is still young so perhaps it is not that strange that he clings to you so much."

Bob was just like a little puppy following me around the house, like Frankie and Mojo were when we got them. As he grew he would start breaking off on his own more and more until he didn't feel the need to use me as a security blanket anymore. For now it was cute though.

"Maybe it's cause I'm more likable than you Houndy!" I teased him.

He smiled at me. "Maybe. Or maybe he likes you because you're closer to his size bitsqueak."

I fake gasped. "Oh no you did not!"

"I believe that I did."

"This means war Houndy. Betta watcha back!" I threatened him.

"I'll do that Clare...when I'm worried about a sparkling sized femme being a threat to me."

Aww he was so mean! "I am not small!"

Sides piped in at this point. "Actually you're tiny compared to the rest of us except for maybe the other femmes."

"Sides who's side are you on?! Hound's not gonna give you kisses if you side with him!"

"Then I'll side with you! But you're still small." He wasn't getting the whole siding with me thing.

Everybot was against me and it was so not fair! First Hound! Now Sides! Who was next? Sunny? I turned to him with a pout. "Sunny tell them that I am not small!"

"You are small." He deadpanned.

"Hmph! You guys are mean! I'm taking Bob inside!" With a huff I stalked into the base without looking back. I wasn't really mad but it was still fun to let them think that I was.

I stalked through the base towards the rec room. My energon levels were low and I could use some mid grade to top me off. It was also time to feed Bob as well.

When I stepped into the rec room I got another surprise to add to the weirdness that was today. Another mech that I had not seen before sat at one of the tables chatting with Ironhide.

This mech had a red base of color and was accented in orange and yellow. He had what looked to be phoenix wings spread out across his chassis with a red Autobot symbol in the center. Huh that was kind of cool.

While I was staring at the new mech Ironhide noticed me and waved me over. "Clare this is Hot Rod." He introduced us after picking me up and sitting me on the table.

Hot Rod's optics locked in on me with an unsettling intensity. Not that he gave me the creeps of even had that vibe, but he was a mech who happened to be staring at me with what I had come to realize from spending time with both sets of twins as interest.

"Hello there...Clare right?" His voice was deep though not as much as Sunny's was, and more smooth like Sides'.

"Yes. And this is Bob."

"An insecticon?"

"Yup! He hatched and took a liking to me! But that's beside the point! How come nobot told me that there were so many new bots around?"

Ironhide shrugged. "Their presence in the atmosphere was picked up last klik so we were taken by surprise. They've only been here for a single solar cycle."

"Oh. Isn't that a little weird? I mean don't the scanners normally pick bot signatures up from way farther out in space?"

"Normally yes but many things can interfere with the scanners such as pollution, satellites, sun spots, and even the cons could have something to do with it. Right now there's no real way to tell."

Huh...well it wasn't something that I needed to worry about so I turned back to Hot Rod to find him still watching me. If watching somebot was a sport he would be allpro. "So umm did anybot else come to Earth or was it just you and Wheeljack?"

"You met Jacky already?" Hot Rod asked me.

"Yeah I met him earlier. He wanted to show me what he was working on but the twins wouldn't let me go with him."

"Which set of twins? The Chevy twins or the Terror Twins?"

"Sunny and Sides."

Hot Rod gave me a perplexed look. "Sunstreaker actually cared whether you blew yourself up or not?"

"Yes of course he did."

"That's just weird."

"Well we are dating so it's not that weird."

"You're dating Sunstreaker?!"

"And Sideswipe."

"AND SIDESWIPE?!"

"Yes Hot Rod I'm dating both. Why?"

He shook his helm. "No reason. Anyways Jacky and I were the only ones that arrived."

He said there was no reason as to why he asked but it looked like what I said bothered him. I could not fathom why.

I shrugged it off so that we could talk and get to know each other a bit. Ironhide stayed with us for a few kliks before he had to leave us to train. That left Hot Rod and I alone in the room, save for Bob who didn't really count. The large red and orange mech was nice enough to get my energon for me so that I could refuel.

Between drinks we chatted about various things. He really knew little about Earth and humans but that was to be expected after only being here for a day. Bob skittered around the table while we spoke, never straying too far from me. He did sniff at Hot Rod a few times though.

We sat there for longer than either of us expected. In fact we probably would have continued talking for longer if a voice hadn't called out for me nearby.

The twins stalked in through the rec room door not even five astroseconds later. When they saw who I was sitting with their body language changed immediately. Plating tightened, shoulders became rigid, chassis puffed out, and optics narrowed.

They came straight over to where we were sitting and Sides snatched me up. I wanted to protest but an intense look from Sides silenced me. Sunny grabbed Bob and handed him to me.

Neither said a single word as they carried me from the room. I wanted to ask what their problem was but they looked frustrated or irritated. Part of me knew better than to say anything right now.

So I stayed quiet until we arrived back at their room. I found myself being placed on the couch between them instead of on one of their laps as was usual. Now this I decided, was odd. But I didn't know what I had done wrong!

"Why were you talking to Hot Rod?" Sunny suddenly asked me.

His tone was one of anger, one that made me stiffen. We hadn't really fought about much during our relationship and I really had no desire to either. "Well I haven't met him before so Ironhide introduced us."

"Ironhide wasn't there when we got there."

What was this the third degree? "Well he had training and I had to refuel. Hot Rod was refueling as well so we just talked for a bit. Why?"

"Just talking?"

"Yes. I barely even know him so what else would I do?" Honestly I was drawing a blank here. What did they expect me to do with a mech that I didn't even know?

Twin weighing gazes fell on me as if to assess me. It made me somewhat uncomfortable but I sat there until they found whatever it was they were looking for. Whatever it was took them roughly two or three kliks to find and when they did they immediately looked relieved.

"Sorry sweetspark, we just don't always get along well with Hot Rod." Sides admitted sheepishly.

I narrowed my optics slightly. There was something else they weren't telling me. The twins were by nature jealous and posessive but...they couldn't have thought that I would...? "Did you two seriously think I was flirting with him or something?"

They both looked away giving me all the answer I needed. "You did!" Ok now this made me kind of mad. "What the fuck?! I barely even know Hot Rod! All I did was talk to him for like ten kliks!"

Neither one said anything.

"Seriously? Jeez what would you two do if I got jealous and accused you of flirting or cheating on me with every femme you talk to!?"

"We wouldn't." Sunny finally turned back towards me.

"Neither would I! I don't even know Hot Rod and he's definitely not my type! If anything he would be considered an older brother or maybe friend zone material not mechfriend material! When I commit I commit until you two give me a reason to break it off! I will not, and I repeat will not ever cheat on you!"

Sides turned back to look at me as well. "We know that...it's just that other mechs are going to want you sweetspark. Can you blame us for being worried that another mech might catch your interest?"

I shook my helm at them. "No of course I can't blame you for that! But I promise that I would never do something so cruel as cheating on you. I honestly doubt that another mech could even catch my interest the way you two did anyways." Because I was pretty sure that I was already falling in love with them...but I couldn't say that until I knew for sure if love was what made my spark beat so fast, or made me feel like I was walking on a cloud.

"You two are perfect the way you are and I have no interest in pursuing anybot else. I'm happy with you. Nobot can make me laugh the way Sides does, and nobot can act like a total aft and still make me feel like they care like Sunny does. You two have your flaws but I promised to accept them completely. I chose to accept you. So long as you want me I'm here. The only way you're going to get rid of me is if you cheat on me."

The three of us stared at each other for what felt like forever, me trying to convey that I meant what I said, and them looking to see that conviction. They didn't have to look hard to find it because I meant what I said with every beat of my spark.

Sunny scooped me up from the couch and finally **FINALLY** put me on his lap where I wanted to be. I cuddled into his stomach with a soft sigh of contentment. Very few places were as comforting and secure as sitting in one of their laps with large servos wrapped around me.

Lips pressed to my helm softly making me purr. I tilted my helm around so that those lips slid onto mine, my optics meeting Sides' own vivid ones. We kissed slowly and gently, a caress lacking lust and filled with affection. There was no glossas twining together or servos fondling each other. It was purely adoration that drove the action.

Those feelings carried over to Sunny when he nudged Sides away so that he could take his place. He was being more gentle than ever before as we kissed, hold tightening on me, engine purring.

I could admit something while we stayed locked together...

Lust was nice, it was necessary even...

But affection, real affection was even better. It could work wonders in every way, from cheering each other up to just conveying that they meant something.

These two meant so much to me that in that moment I made a promise to always shower them with love every day.

Because I was now sure that I was already falling in love with them...

More and more every day.

And I didn't want it to stop. I didn't want it to ever end. I prayed that it wouldn't. Not ever.

* * *

R&amp;R! Some major fluff for you guys! Christmas is coming next chapter along with a surprise! Hope you all enjoy it! Until next time! Review time!

**leebee14**\- I will! Thanks!

**himelove22**\- More Jaws stuff lol! I was freaking out a bit when I wrote it! Yeah Bob is the only bug I like too. Thanks for the review.

**Snowball A.K.A. WinterWolf**\- :D

**Sorana3**\- Clare has a talent for handling everything I swear! And I love Jaws so yes she has an obsession with him! Big ass sharks...Sunny is in denial about everything! It's kind of funny. Bob is so cute though...so cute.

**Izzy-dragon-rider**\- Poor Sides? Only at the very end lol! Before that he was happy as could be! AND I LOVE JAWS SO CLARE LOVES JAWS! If you think daddy Prowl is adorable now wait until next chapter.

**HeartsGuardianSol**\- I had trouble with the gifts :( Hopefully they worked. I was thinking about having her distract Prowl with Jaws.

**DarkshadowXsunny-sides**\- ...Robo jizz...*giggles* Poor Sides and Clare.

**Silent Shooter**\- She won't get eaten XD! I love her too much to kill her off!


	23. Chapter 23

I just wanted to say that I appreciate all of the support you guys are giving this story! Anyways on with the story! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

My optics lazily onlined, my vision slightly blurred with tiredness. I looked around gaze falling on the recharging forms of my adoptive creators. Oh that was right...I had fallen into recharge on their berth last night.

Sometime while I was out they had both conregated towards me and now I was trapped between them cuddled up against opi's chassis. Dad was pressed against my back, his arms wrapped around opi and squishing the three of us together.

It was rather comfortable, in fact if it weren't for my taking notice of the bright date and time flashing across my HUD I would have wanted to just lay there until I fell back into recharge.

_**December 25th, 6:30AM**_

As soon as I saw that I was instantly wide awake. It was Christmas!

I shot up from the berth. "IT'S CHRISTMAS!"

My creators shot up as well upon hearing my scream, weapons appearing in their grasp within an astrosecond.

It barely even registered to me as I ran to the end of the berth and jumped off of it. "OPI! DAD! IT'S CHRISTMAS WAKE UP! WAKE UP!" I dug the gifts I had hidden out from under it with the additions of what I had got for Jacky and Hot Rod.

I sorted through the stack until I found my creators gifts, before I climbed back up onto the berth to hand them over. "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

My optics locked on their every move as they tore the wrapping paper off of their gifts. Opi seemed pleased with the cds I had gotten for him, shuffling through them with interest. Dad was much the same only less noticable, he was looking over the world history and tactics book with calculating optics. I could feel their joy and elation over the bond so I wasn't worried that he disliked it. It made me happy that they were pleased.

**[T'anks babay spark.]** Opi swept me into a hug pressing a kiss to my helm.

**[You're welcome opi!]**

Opi passed me to dad who hugged and kissed me as well. I purred happily in his arms.** [I am quite pleased with my gift as well Clare.] **

**[I hope so! Figuring out what to get you guys was hard I'll have you know!] **

They both chuckled, the noise all that was audible in the otherwise quiet room. We all cuddled together on the berth for another few kliks before rising to go about the day. I wish that they could stay with me and celebrate more but I knew that they had work, and no human holliday was going to get them time off.

Both apologized to me when they sensed my thoughts, but I understood. They were officers, high ranking, with lots of responsabilities. I didn't make any complaint or try to guilt them into staying, just smiled and waved them off for the day.

Aferwards I grabbed up all the gifts that I could and made my way to the twins room. I passed Arcee and Flareup on the way so I gave them their presents as well, mostly to lighten my carrying load of overflowing boxes. They trilled happily upon opening the wax and polishes I had got them, both thanking me profusely.

It made me feel better since I wasn't sure if they would like them. I had hoped, so I was relieved that they accepted my gifts graciously.

We chatted for a few kliks in which Arcee offered to teach me some more servo to servo combat coupled with extra shooting lessons. I accepted with a deal to meet her after I was finished distributing gifts.

After that I made my way to the twins room. The door was locked meaning that they were in recharge, but they had given me the passcode so I entered it and walked in anyways.

My optics landed on them curled up in their makeshift double berth which they made by pushing two together. They were laying on their sides facing each other arms thrown haphazardly over one anothers' shoulders.

D'awwww that was so cute! Sitting everybot elses' present near the door I made my way over to the berth and climbed up onto it. I crawled between their bodies until I reached their helms, where I leaned in and... "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

Sunny shot up so hard that he nearly knocked into me and sent me flying. I had to duck to avoid the flailing arm of pure death heading straight for my face. He snarled, optics shooting around the room wildly as if there was a threat there. When they finally fell on me huddled over on the berth his snarling died down. "Baby?"

I smiled sheepishly. "Ummm Christmas? Presents? Uhhh sorry I scared you?"

A soft snicker came from behind me. "Primus sweetspark you scared the slag out of us!"

"Sorry Sides didn't mean to..." Sitting up I handed their gifts to each respective recipient.

Sides who was still laying down after Sunny's episode opened his present with wide gleeful optics. He shot up from the berth, game clutched to his chassis as he danced over to the XBOX ONE sitting on their makeshift entertainment center.

Well he was going to be busy for a little while... I turned back to Sunny who was now sorting through each bottle of polish and wax. The polishing rags I had bought for him lay in his lap telling me that he wanted to test these new items out. "What no thank you?" I fake huffed.

"THANKS SWEETSPARK!" Sides called from the couch.

Sunny leaned down and kissed me briefly. "Thank you baby."

"You're welcome."

"That reminds me," Sunny started distractedly. He got up from the berth and reached underneath it pulling up something covered in cloth. "Sides and I made you something for Christmas."

I perked up in excitement. "You did?"

He nodded. "We didn't buy them since we didn't have credits, but we had the materials to make these for you."

I took the rather bulky object or objects in my servos. Sides paused his game so that he could come over and watch me open them...er de-cloth them. They looked excited. I was too.

With an excited tug the cloth fell away exposing a painting, and a set of clawed gauntlets. My jaw dropped as I fingered each gift in awe. These gifts were absolutely beautiful. The gauntlets looked absolutely wicked with their foot long curved claws made of gleaming cybertanium. I wondered where they got the material to make them?

Next was the painting, a painting of the plataeu overlooking the ocean. It was beautifully done. I realized that it was from the day that we had gone there for the first time, when Sides had flirted with me and Sunny had tossed me into the water. A soft laugh bubbled up in my chassis when I remembered that day.

My optics actually started tearing up...sure I had bought them something but they had made these for me! They had devoted so much time and hard work when all I had done was go to a store! Slagging idiots who made me cry with their thoughtfulness. "These are beautiful...thank you for making them for me."

"You like them?"

"Of course I do Sides! It's one thing to buy something but it's another thing entirely to make something like this! To me it's more meaningful." I sniffled wiping at a stray energon tear. "You guys are afts for making me cry."

Sunny sat my gifts aside on the berth and gathered me up in his arms, a soft rumbling starting up in his chassis.

I buried my face into his neck cables, nuzzling and kissing them. Another body climbed up on the berth causing it to shake, firm plates pressing against my back. Lips met my helm several times, one set rough and firm, the other soft and fluttering.

We sat there wrapped up in an embrace for nearly a half hour before I finally forced myself to get a grip. Pulling back I smiled affectionately at them both feeling my spark swell with affection for the mechs with me. "I wanna stay here...but I have to give the rest of the gifts out. Wanna come with me?"

"Sure, it's our off day anyways."

Sunny let me crawl up onto his shoulder, then they grabbed the gifts up from the floor and carried them for me. I pressed my cheek to Sunny's while we walked, purring happily the entire time. If I wasn't sure that I was falling before I was now, my spark was.

"Where should I keep the painting until I go home? Bob might try and eat it."

"I can keep it in our room until I take you home." Sunny offered.

"Ok. I'll hang it in my room when I go home. What about the gauntlets though? Aunt Judy will freak out if I bring them home."

"Subspace them and she'll never know." Sides shrugged. "You could always use a weapon to defend yourself with sweet. We'd rather you be safe than follow your familial units rules."

"True. It's still kind of weird that I can break things down atom by atom and store them within my body without feeling a single thing. It's fragging awesome!"

"It's all part of being a super advanced alien race."

Typical arrogant, egotistical, Sunny response. I couldn't help but to laugh at him.

We bumped into Optimus after rounding a corner near the rec room. It had been a while since I had last seen him! "MERRY CHRISTMAS OPTIMUS!" I called.

"Christmas?"

Optimus didn't know what Christmas was?! I huffed. "Give me Optimus' present Sunny." Sunny quickly handed me the small gift which I tucked under my right arm just before I lunged from Sunny's shoulder to Optimus'. "Christmas is a holliday where humans give presents to people they care about soooo HERE YA GO!"

He accepted my present with warm optics and a small smile. "Thank you Clare. If I may ask, who do humans celebrate on this day?"

"Ummm it's the day Jesus was born or something like that. He was said to have died for our sins so people celebrate his birth on this day. We do this by giving gifts and spending time together. That's all I really know though, I'm not religious."

All three mechs cocked their helms at me. "Humans are strange."

"Tell me about it...and I thought I was human six months ago!"

Optimus chuckled at me. "You fit in well enough with both species."

I shook my helm. "No I don't, I'm a weirdo. Ask Sam if you don't believe me! Humans thought I was weird when I thought I was one, and you can't tell me that you guys think that I'm perfectly normal either."

"No I suppose not, though I have met bots who were raised Cybertronian who were stranger than you."

"Are you teasing me Optimus? If you are you're going to wake up pink tomorrow."

"I would never tease you Clare." He smirked. Ohhh he thought that just cause he was like thirty feet tall he could tease little people. Well I was so going to get back at him later! Somehow! Some way! REVENGE WOULD BE MINE!

"Mean. So mean. I get you a present and you're mean to me."

Optimus handed me back to Sunny. "I thank you for your thoughtfulness in considering me somebot that you care for."

My spark softened a bit at that. "You're welcome."

"I will open this as soon as I return to my office. For now I would ask that you three stay out of trouble and enjoy this Christmas."

He said it weird...maybe it was a bot thing? But then again what about me? I said it right! So not a bot thing? No it definitely was. "Ok we will!"

Sunny and Sides started towards the rec room again which sounded loud. The reason for that, as we discovered upon entering the room, was that everybot on base minus Ratchet and Optimus was in there. It sure was crowded!

Everybot sat together, tables moved so that they could all talk amongst themselves. I waved to opi and dad, who were sitting with Ironhide and Jacky at the moment. They waved at me gesturing us over.

On the way I stopped and handed out gifts to everybot. They all seemed pleased with what I had got them except for the Chevy twins when everybot laughed at the encyclopedias and etiquette guides I had gotten them. Sunny didn't stick around long enough to give either of them a chance to complain to me. Not that I would have listened to it.

We walked over to my creators' table where I handed Ironhide and Jacky their gifts last. After that Sunny sat me down before he and Sides took a seat next to me. I watched Ironhide and Jacky's reactions to my presents and they seemed to like their gifts.

"Thank you Clare." Jacky smiled at me. I noticed that he had some tools along with a gun type thing on the tabletop but I most likely would not be allowed to go anywhere near it.

"You're welcome Jacky." Curiosity was nagging at me to ask him what that gun did. I refrained, just barely from asking him.

Ole Hide just grunted a gruff, "Thanks."

Well as long as he was happy enough with it. I guessed that opi and dad had explained Christmas to them already so that I didn't have to. That reminded me that I had some toys for Bob but he was still in my room! Oh scrap I forgot about him!

I shot to my peds. "I forgot to let Bob out of his cage!"

"He'll be fine for a few more kliks." Sunny reasoned.

I turned towards him, noticing Jacky fumbling with his gun thing from the corner of my optics. The dang thing was pointed at me as well, but I gave no thought to it really.

At least until Jacky released a startled cry as the thing fired a bright blue beam...

Straight at me! There was no time for anybot to react before it hit me.

All I felt was a tingling sensation...then nothing.

* * *

**(Sunny's POV)**

We were all too slow to react to the beam that hit Clare dead center in her chassis. Her body went flying over the edge of the table, bright light encompassing her from helm to ped. She made no sound as she plummeted over the edge.

The room went deadly silent. Nobot spoke a word. Anger welled up in my spark as Sides and I jumped up to rush around the table at the same time that Jazz, Prowl, Ironhide, and Wheeljack did. If Clare was hurt I was going to maim Jacky beyond repair.

What we all found was not what we expected.

It was most definitely Clare...but she was tiny...like less than 3/4 of her original size. Too large dark blue optics blinked up at us from a small chubby face. Her antennas were much too large for her small helm, her arms and legs were curled up making her look like a ball. A typical sparkling defense... HOLY SLAG SHE WAS A SPARKLING!

"JACKY WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!" Sides yelped, in turn startling Clare so bad that she started crying. "Oh I'm so sorry sweetspark!" He cooed at her and picked her up. She was tiny in his servos, easily being dwarfed by them.

I whirled around. "LOOK AT WHAT YOUR EXPERIMENT DID TO HER! FIX HER!

Jacky whipped around to grab up his aging beam or whatever it was... "Of course! Just let me-let me-!" As soon as he went to grab it the damn beam thing gave a shrill screech and exploded in a fiery shower of sparks and metal. "..."

"..." Everybot just stared at it until a soft sparkling laugh drew our attention back to Clare who was clapping and giggling at the explosion.

"Boo! Boo! Pow!" Her little antennas twitched as she giggled.

Sides' lips twitched into a small smile. **(She's fragging adorable!)**

**(Sides this is hardly the time to be gushing like a femme over how adorable she looks! Jacky's aging beam just exploded! How are we going to change her back now?)**

**(Have Jacky make a new one.) **He shrugged. **(There's not much else that we can do now right?)**

"You better be able to make a new one of those!" Jazz growled angrily, not using his accent which let us all know that he was slagged off. He reached out prompting Sides to quickly hand Clare over to her opiluck. She trilled up at him in question then pointed at Jacky.

"Hoo dat?"

**(She's asking who Jacky is?)** Sides sent a wave of confusion over the bond. **(She knows him though...I don't understand this.) **

A good point because I didn't know what the slag that meant either. I wondered if she knew who her creators were or if it was instinctively something that she knew only because of the bond she had with them. It wasn't something that could be erased, and sparklings depended heavily on creator bonds to function normally. They needed that connection.

Wheeljack fumbled with the remains of his aging beam frantically, finally gathering his thoughts enough to give Jazz an answer. "Of course I can make a new one! It just might take me a few solar cycles to get one with a low self destruct percentile." He rambled.

"Well what the slag are we supposed to do with Clare-" An excited voice cut Sides off mid sentence.

"Me! ME! I Cware! Dat's me!" She squealed.

Ok so even I was starting to think that she was too fragging cute for her own good. But could you blame me when she was sitting there chirping excitedly that she knew her own name? If I wasn't so proud of my cold demeanor I would be awwing like everybot else present in the room.

"Yeah baybay spark dat's yo'! Yo'r so smart!" Jazz preened.

"Whea Hammy at? Whea Peshy at? Gotta take 'im fo' a walk wit' Unca Won." Clare babbled on and on as sparklings are prone to doing. Jazz made sure to nod when she looked at him expectantly with those bright little optics of her's. His visor covered his optics but I could literally see the gleam in them through the dark glass.

Clare gestured down to the floor and wiggled eagerly. "Wan go down on da foo'. Go down pease?"

Jazz sat her down near his ped watching her closely as she crawled away on chubby servos, weaving in between the peds of other bots, chirping and squealing happily. The door to the rec room was closed so we didn't have to worry about her getting out. Even so the femmes broke off from the main group to keep an optic on her.

As soon as she was far enough away I turned and grabbed Wheeljack by the throat and jerked him into my face. "You better fix her or else!" I growled low in my chassis and squeezed his throat enough to make it difficult for the vents there to intake or expel air.

"I will! I will! Just let me get to my work room so that I can get started! It'll only take me a few solar cycles to rebuild it thanks to the schematics I have!"

"You better not screw this up Wheeljack! If you do, and I have to wait for my femme to grow up all over again I will de-limb you slowly and painfully!" I threated one more time before I sat him back on the floor.

He turned and scrambled to get out of the room as fast as he could.

My optics stayed locked on him until he disappeared from sight, then a soft weight against my leg made me look down at where Clare had latched on to hold herself up on her little legs. Her optics were locked on me. Mine locked with her's. I wasn't really sure what to do with her...or sparklings in general. I didn't even know what she wanted.

She lifted her arms. "Wan' up."

I hesitated until Sides nudged me with his elbow. My servos wrapped around her lifting her up from the floor...it made me nervous because I had never held a sparkling before. What if I crushed her tiny body? What if she got scared of me? What if-!

"Mine. Don' kno' hoo ou awe bu' ou mine." She chirped possessively.

I raised an optic ridge at her. "Your's huh?"

"Yup! Mine! Ou ta'e me ou'side no'!" She demanded.

**(Wow she's a little spitfire.)** Sides commented with amusement.

As if she sensed Sides speaking to me Clare turned her little helm in his direction and pointed at him. "Mine. Ou mine too. No' ta'e me ou'side no' pease?"

I literally felt Sides' spark melt because of those big blue optics. Why did sparklings have to be so cute? Why? Was it for the sole purpose of reducing mechs as ornery as Ironhide into a quivering blabbering mass of cooing metal? Because I was pretty sure that it was already happening to everybot here.

"Ok we'll take you outside." I ended up caving to her desires. As much as I hated to admit it, and I really did hate to admit it, I wanted to make her happy in any form. This revelation disturbed me when I first deduced it as being the reason behind some of my behaviors around her. She accepted us, that meant something to Sides and I.

Briefly looking to Jazz, I waited for him to either nod in approval or shake his helm to deny me. He finally nodded but added his own requirement first. "Ya gotta take 'er ta Ratchet first. She migh' need ta refuel, an' Ratch will wanna 'ave a look at 'er. Afterwards ya can take 'er ou'side."

I nodded in agreement before Sides and I left to take her to the med bay. When Ratchet saw her he was going to have a spark attack.

"Clareeeeee. We're gonna go see Ratchet the Hatchet!" Sides crooned to her as we walked towards the med bay.

"Hachet." Clare chirped. "Ou Hachet?"

"Our medic. Do you know what a medic is Clare?"

"Doc'er?" She chirped in question.

"Yes a doctor." Sides answered her.

Her bottom lip suddenly started quivering as a whine built up in her processor. "No doc'er! No gettin shots! Don' like it! We go ou'side no'! No go see doc'er." She protested.

We walked into the med bay anyways. "Sorry Clare but you have to see the doctor." I apologized to her.

She started squirming as soon as the words were out of my mouth. "NO! NO DOC'ERS! 'E GONNA POKE MY ASS WIT' A NEEDLE! NO LIKE NEEDLES! GO OU'SIDE INSEAD! WE GO NOW!"

Ratchet looked over upon hearing her outburst, optics taking in what was no doubt the first sparkling that he had seen in a very long time with a wide stare. "What in the pit-where did you get that sparkling?"

Upon approaching Ratchet realized just who I was holding. He choked. "Is-is that Clare? How the pit did this happen? I mean it should be imposs-Wheeljack." He suddenly scowled. "That whackjob did this didn't he?"

Clare turned to him curiously. "Wha'sa pit? Wha' it mean when ou say dat?"

"It's a bad word Clare. Sparklings don't say bad words." Sides told her.

She pointed a digit at Ratchet with a small affronted gasp. "OOOOO ou say bad wor'! I gonna tell mista daddy on ou!" She gave a little glare.

Sides patted her little helm. "Ooooo she's gonna tell Jazz on you Hatchet!" He laughed.

A sharp **BAM **resounded when Ratchet smacked him with a wrench hard enough to send him sprawling to the floor. Clare gasped and whirred in anger. "'Ey ou can' hit 'im like dat! 'E mine! I tellin Unca Won on ou!"

"Yeah you can't hit me like that Hatchet otherwise Clare will be mad at you!" Sides muttered into the floor.

**BAM! **The wrench found purchase on Sides' helm again. My idiot brother yelped but otherwise stayed silent in order to avoid a third assault in one day.

Clare was a whole other story, giving an affronted gasp she turned to me with a pout. "'E hittin mista red! Mista shiny do some'in ta 'elp mista red!"

Ratchet gave me a threatening look smacking the wrench into his servo repetatively.

"Sorry Clare no can do." I tuned her out for a moment so that I could address Ratchet. "As you can see Jacky hit Clare with that aging beam or whatever it's called, so now she's a sparkling. He said he can change her back after he makes a new aging beam, until then we have to take care of her. Since he had patrol Jazz asked us to bring her for a checkup and some energon."

"Sit her down on that berth." Ratchet ushered me over to the closest berth.

Clare trilled when I sat her down on the berth. "Ya betta no' poke my ass wit' a needle!" She warned with a scowl.

Ratchet flitted around the berth unconcerned with the tiny sparkling threatening him, gathering a syringe with a sparkling nanite booster in it just in case. He came back around the berth to scan her.

She chirped and grabbed at the pale beam of light shining over her form. "I catchit! Catchit!"

"Please sit still."

"Lookit I catchit! I catchit!"

"Sit still!"

"Catchit! Catchit! Lookit da petty cowors! We catchit! Shiny 'elp me catch!"

Ratchet had to actually hold her still so that he could complete his scan much to her displeasure. She trilled angrily, squirming as much as she could when trapped in Ratchet's servo; and she kept it up until he finally finished.

"Ou meanie! Ou pickin on me!" She accused.

Ratchet rolled his optics, though he looked amused as he picked her up to hand her to me. "Hold her so that I can do a nanite booster injection."

Clare perked up when she was placed in my arms, where I moved her so that she was situated against my shoulder. She chirped happily, completely unaware of the needle being lined up with her aft. Ratchet removed some plating to give himself a clear shot.

"Hold her still." He commanded.

I brought one servo to her back to hold her in place astroseconds before Ratchet stuck her with the needle.

An audio piercing shriek assaulted my audial intakes as the sparkling I was holding thrashed her little legs in an attempt to dislodge the needle stuck in her aft. I held her still until Ratchet had administered all of the nanite booster into her system, only loosening my hold when he pulled back.

"OWIE! OW! OU POKEDED MY ASS! NO LIKE OU NO MO'E!" Clare cried.

"You needed a booster to ensure that you stay healthy."

"NO! NONONONONONONONONONONONONONONONOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

"Somebot's really mad." Sides snickered.

In response Clare just stuck her glossa between her lips and blew slobber all over. Some of which got on my paint much to my chagrin, luckily it was an easy clean. If it had been anybot else I would have knocked their helms off...

"I ungwee." Clare suddenly declared, rubbing her little stomach plating in big circles. "Fee' me pease?"

Ratchet got her some sparkling grade energon out of his cabinet and heated it up in a makeshift bottle with a rubbery tip. He approached to take her from me but she humphed and turned away from him. "Ou pokeded my ass. Mad at ou."

"So who wants to feed her?"

Sides grinned. "I do!" He held his servos out for both the bottle and Clare, situating her in the crook of his arm so that he could bring the bottle to her mouth.

Only Clare wouldn't take it. She kept looking at all of us as if we were crazy.

"Time to eat Clare." Sides prompted her.

Her little optic ridges furrowed together in confusion. "Mista red I no 'ake babas no mo'e. I big giwl. Big giwls ea' big giwl foo'."

Well that stumped us. If she wouldn't drink the energon what were we supposed to give her?

"But Clare this is a big girl bottle." Sides told her.

She chirped. "A big giwl baba?"

"Yup! It has this yummy stuff in it! Do you want to try it?"

"It a big giwl baba dou righ'?" She chirped.

"Yes it's a big girl bottle."

"M'kay." Without further delay she took the tip into her mouth and started suckling the energon down. "Ummy! Ummy! Ummy in my tummy!" She sang between mouthfuls.

Primus...she was going to turn us all into mushy fraggers at this rate!

It only took her a few kliks to finish her bottle. Her little servos pushed the bottle away from her mouth as soon as the last drop was drained from it. "Aww done!" She declared.

"Good femme!" Sides cooed.

"Go ou'side no'." She chirped.

"In a klik sweetspark." Sides shushed her. "Ratchet there's something off about her besides her being turned into a sparkling. She doesn't remember any of us really, not our designations at least. Do you have any idea why?"

"Well she did not just reverse age in only a physical sense, it appears to have been mental as well. At this point in her life she did not know any of us, so since her processor reverted back to that stage she has no memories of us. That is my theory at least."

"Will her memories be restored when she reverts back?" I asked him. If she didn't remember us I was going to maim Jacky.

"She should. It may even be an issue caused by her short sparkling mentality. It is hard for them to concentrate on certain things, or keep track of their mental processes sometimes. The age she was reverted back to is the equivalent of a human toddler of perhaps two stellar cycles old, so in our years she would be at the mental age of a sparkling of one or two millenia old."

"Oh...well that explains a lot." I sighed. "We're going to take her outside now."

"Keep an optic on her otherwise she will wander away." Ratchet warned us. "Remember short sparkling attention span."

"Right. We'll keep an optic on her. Come on Sides, we have to feed Bob first."

He nodded and together we left the room and headed back to Jazz's room. Clare chattered excitedly during the walk back, preening about getting to go outside. Sides kept her entertained by making stupid faces at her eliciting a myriad of giggles.

When we entered the room Clare's optics immediately shot over to Bob who was clicking furiously in his cage. "Wha' dat?"

I bent down to take Bob out of his cage. "This is Bob." Grabbing his bowl I filled it with some pellets and set it out for him to eat.

Sides sat Clare down near his peds, where she proceeded to stare at Bob curiously. Bob stared back at her from where he had his helm buried in the bowl of pellets. He seemed to recognize her at least because the usual gleam that was present in his optics whenever she was with him before was still there.

After he finished off the last of the pellets he scurried closer to Clare. He was bigger than her now towering over her small form by maybe half a foot.

They clicked at each other for a moment, Bob sniffing at her, Clare grabbing him with her chubby sparkling servos. Then she stood on shaky legs and scrambled onto Bob's back when he laid down. "I ri'in 'im!"

Sides was getting a great deal of amusement watching Bob tote Clare around the room, instead of her carrying him. She seemed happy though.

"We go ou'side Bob!" Clare squealed. "Ou'side!" She pointed at the still open door.

Bob scurried for it as fast as his legs could carry him. We followed close behind.

The four of us made our way outside to a small patch of trees.

Clare dismounted Bob to toddle around on slightly unsteady legs, the insecticon following her around right on her heels. She toddled her way onto Sideswipe's knee joint where she sat staring up at him. "Hoo ou?" She asked.

"I'm Sideswipe."

"Hoo dat?" She pointed at me.

"That's Sunstreaker."

"Sunseaka?"

"How about you just call him Sunny?"

"Sunny." Clare chirped happily. "Sies n Sunny. Mine."

**(She's a possessive little thing isn't she?) **Sides murmured in amusement.

**(We are too.)** I shrugged. I stared at Clare as she crawled all over Sides' lap, a large servo following her every move to make sure that she didn't fall down. She didn't seem to notice it since her attention was caught up in playing with Bob who had scurried up onto my brother's lap as well.

Staring at her now I fully realized the beauty and innocence she exuded in any form. She was a beautiful sparkling, and a beautiful femme bot. I had noticed before but now it was even more apparent. It was all there in her optics which shone a deep sapphire blue, the way they gleamed when she was being mischievious or when she smiled; her features, from the antennas that twitched aop her helm when she was happy, or her soft facial features. She was just beautiful inside and out.

It made me feel torn that her innocence would not last. Our kind were at war and she would have to raise arms and fight one day soon. She would have to make the decision to either take life or let her own be extinguished. She would have to learn about what real suffering was. I only hoped that surviving would not cause her spark to completely shatter.

"Sunny! Sunny! Me n Bob n Sies pay hide n seek! Ou pay too?"

"Sure."

"Kay! Ou be it! Ou be it! Gotta coun' ta fify an' den come n fin' us!"

"Ok. Just don't go too far."

"M'kay! C'mon Sies we gotta go hide!" Clare tugged on my twin until he stood up. Without waiting she turned and ran as fast as her little legs could carry her in the direction of the treeline with Bob right beside her.

**(Sides stay with her so she doesn't wander off.)**

Sides sent me a playful shove over the bond. **(Did you think that I was going to just let her go off on her own?)**

**(Just go.) **I started counting out loud as Sides turned and walked off in the direction that Clare had disappeared in. "One, two, three, four-"

"No peekin!" Clare chirped from somewhere close by.

I heard Sides shush her. "If you talk he'll know where you are!"

She gave a startled gasp that made me smirk.

After that it was silent while I finished counting. Once I was done counting I stood and started in the last direction that they had gone in.

There weren't many places to hide, especially for Sides, save for a few rocky outcroppings dotting the landscape; and wherever he was Clare was. I prioritized finding him first, then seeking her out.

Part of me wanted to use my heat vision to cheat just to make it quicker but I refrained from doing so. It was just a childish game, one that really had no place for advanced tools such as that.

I looked around several outcroppings of rocks but found nothing. There were several more situated around the area, all of which I was making my way towards. Clare and Bob may be able to hide in or behind a tree but then Sides wouldn't be able to hide with them, and I doubted that he would let either of them go anywhere that he could not see them for many reasons. Mostly Jazz and Prowl's wraths.

A gleam of red paint caught my optic as I rounded a bend in the trees. Really? Did Sides really think that he could hide behind a patch of trees and not be seen?

He peeked out and waved at me. **(There aren't many places to hide when you're my size, so I hid somewhere that would be easy enough for you to see me. Clare is gonna be a little harder to find.) **

Huffing, I checked each rock and tree to see if she was hiding behind them. Nothing. I checked up in the tops of the trees but I could not see her peeking out from between the strage brown fruits or whatever they were called. Clare had once said the trees were called palm trees or something, they didn't seem to be very suitable for hiding in with their sparse foliage.

Where would a sparkling hide...? I looked behind the outcroppings, nothing still. She wasn't anywhere that I could see. My vision shifted to heat vision, my surroundings became stained in various colors, purples and blues for objects lacking heat, and yellows, oranges, and reds for objects giving off high amounts of heat.

I panned my helm around my surroundings looking for her. Most objects in the area radiated a good deal of heat due to our base being located on a tropical island, the majority showed up as either a shade of yellow or orange. Still no sparkling though.

A soft giggle broke me out of my thoughts, gaze shifting towards where the sound had come from. A palm tree was laying tilted over against another one and it's roots were loose. My optics zoomed in on the small heat signatures laying beneath the tree roots. It was barely noticable over the sand piled in front of the roots, only a small part was left open to provide air. Clever sparkling.

I knelt down next to the roots and peeked into the open space. Two tiny helms stared back at me, one with two sapphire optics, another with four glowing orange ones. "Found you."

"Sunny fin' me!" Clare squealed happily. She crawled out of her hole allowing me to pick her up. Bob came scurrying out after her, much to my chagrin he climbed up onto my shoulder. If Clare didn't love him so much I would knock him off.

Sides snorted. **(Yeah right. You like the little insecticon too.)**

**(Frag off Sides!) **

Our attention was drawn down to the little femme I was holding when she let out a yawn, her little optics drooping with fatigue. They shuttered once, twice, three times before finally sliding closed completely. A soft purr started up astroseconds later as her internal systems powered down to repair.

**(I guess she was tired. She looks cute when she's recharging.) **Sides mused.

I just held her for a moment unsure of what to do. She needed to rest to strengthen her systems and I didn't want her to be disturbed, but holding her the entire time she recharged wasn't favorable. Anybot could wake her up.

"We could use our sparkling holds." Sides suggested.

The idea almost made me want to balk back. Nobot had ever been in my sparkling hold before...nor had I ever given the thought to it ever being used. But the more I thought about it the less I was bothered with the idea if it was Clare, she would be safer in there.

"If you don't want to put her in your's I can put her in mine instead."

"No that's fine." I shifted my chest plates open and popped the latch on my sparkling hold so that I could gently lower her recharging form into it. Bob tried to scurry in as well so I shut it fast. The last thing I wanted was to put a sparkling insecticon in there.

He cocked his helm and clicked at me.

"Not happening slagstain." I gave him a pat as we turned and walked back to base. Each step I took made me painfully aware of the tiny form inside my hold, her form jostling slightly everytime I put my ped down. It was strange but not...unpleasant.

Jazz and Prowl would probably get a real kick out of being able to carry her around like this. Who knows? Maybe this would melt the perpetual ice encasing Prowl's cold spark?

Now that would be amusing to see.

* * *

**(Prowl's POV)**

I headed towards the twins' quarters to retrieve Clare for evening recharge. She would need to be refueled then put in either Jazz's or my hold for the night. Normally I wasnot excited or moved by much but I was eager to carry her the way all creators carried their sparklings.

The data packs I had downloaded on sparkling care also informed me that having her in my hold would strengthen our creator bond. Jazz and I would be sure to utilize this instinctual behavior in her, since it would only benefit our bond in the long run.

I arrived at the twins' quarters and walked in. The first thing that I saw was the back of each of the twins' helms. Both were playing some game on their console. Clare was nowhere in sight. However I did see Bob sitting on Sunstreaker's helm. They did not acknowledge my entrance until I cleared my throat to make my presence known.

Both turned to me. "Oh hey Prowl." Sideswipe greeted me. "Are you here for Clare?"

"Yes I am."

"Oh cool." He looked down at something on the couch. "You hear that Clare? One of your opis is here to pick you up!"

A soft chirp sounded back. "'E my daddy? I no gots a daddy befo'e."

Sideswipe picked her up and got up from the couch to bring her over to me. "Well you have two now!" He told her.

I took her from him as she trilled in confusion. "Da oter misa tol' me dat 'e was my daddy too. I gots two daddies?"

"Yes, but we call our..." I paused briefly to look up the proper human word. "fathers opiluck or opi for short. We do not call them daddy."

Her little optics stared at me widely. "Opis? Daddies?"

"They are the same, you may call me daddy. Jazz may be called opi." While I let her mull that over in her sparkling processor I acknowledged the twins. "My thanks for taking good care of her while Jazz and I were busy."

Their jaws dropped.

What I said was truly shocking, their reactions were not surprising. I had more pressing matters at hand than to comment on it. "Well Jazz is on his way back to our quarters so I must be going now. You have first patrol tomorrow so do not be late."

"Ok."

With that I grabbed Bob from Sunstreaker, turned my back to them and left the room.

"Bah bye Sies! Bye Sunny!" Clare chirped.

The doors to the twins' room slid shut before a response could be made. My sparkling was more focused on playing with Bob at the moment so she did not seem to mind it. I watched her more than I watched where I was going, my doorwings sitting alert on my back to catch any vibrations in the air around us. If anybot came near us I would sense it and be able to react accordingly. Not that I anticipated any incidents on base, however with both sets of twins, and Wheeljack on base it could not hurt to be prepared.

There were no incidents during our little trek. Jazz was waiting inside our room with a fresh bottle in his servo when we arrived back. He took Clare from me to feed her while I put Bob in his cage with a fresh bowl of pellets.

With the latch firmly in place I returned to the berth and sat beside Jazz. My mate's side of the bond was filled to the brim with love and adoration. We had always wanted a sparkling but with no Allspark, and neither of us having gestation chambers or carrying coding it was not possible. We had discussed adopting but then all of the sparklings had been killed by the Decepticons. All hope had slowly faded away until the small femme in Jazz's arms had come into our lives.

She was everything that we never thought we would have. I thanked Primus every solar cycle for giving her to us.

**[Meh too Prowler. Meh too.]**

**[Would you like to keep her in your hold tonight?]**

**[Yeah ah woul'.]**

Jazz set her bottle aside once she had finished it. She gave a tired yawn as he rocked her, eventually succumbing to recharge after a few kliks.

I watched her disappear into my mate's hold before the plates shut tight after her. We had a family...it was the happiest we had ever been.

Jazz leaned up and we shared a quick kiss before laying down for recharge with my arms wrapped around my mate's chassis protectively.

I sent my love and adoration over the bond to my family unit. **[Good recharge Jazz, sparklet.]**

Two swells of love hit me back, one conscious and one subconscious.

My spark had never felt so complete.

* * *

R&amp;R! Some Jazz/Prowl/Clare family fluff for all of you! I know what you're all thinking! Wheeljack makes the story that much more interesting! I was soooo torn between doing this or just having him shrink her or something lol. In the end I chose a few sparkling Clare chapters. Hope you all like it!

Last chapter Reviews!

**Coolgal02**\- The more Autobots the better! And don't worry about not reviewing! Just do it when you can!

**himelove22**\- I would never eat those things...ever! Poor Sides and Sunny were just so dang desperate for those pictures that they didn't even care!

**leebee14**\- Dawwww is right!

**HeartsGuardianSol**\- Your klutz senses were right! XD

**TerrorTwinEpicness**\- I haven't done that prank in real life but I wish I could. Wow your one cousin had great luck and the other had crap luck lol!

**DarkshadowXsunny-Sides**\- Still trying to decide if I want to make Hot Rod a big issue. He's going to be a small one at least. You'll just have to wait and see what my convoluted mind comes up with.

**Izzy-dragon-rider**\- Was this a good enough Wheeljack oopsie situation for you? XD! And I didn't really like his weird appearance too much either. I mean sometimes the wire hair looks nice but his was kind...weird. No his entire helm was weird looking and they made him like ancient!

**Sorana3**\- Yup they legitimately exist in real life and they are disgusting! I would never take a bet like that either, but Sunny and Sides are as you said determined little perverts. We all love them though.

**Muirgen79**\- Yup the twins are dumb. And yes you got your Christmas scene.


	24. Chapter 24

*Squeals* Who else loves sparkling Clare and daddies Prowl and Jazz? I'm having so much fun writing these chapters! I'll keep my author's note short! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

**(Sides' POV)**

Morning patrol was uneventful as usual. Normally I would be happy to get back to base in order to give Clare's aft a good teasing squeeze to get her to blush that pretty blue color, but since she was a sparkling now...well that kind of changed my plans. Instead I had to look forward to sparklingsitting her. Strangely that idea didn't bother me, sparkling Clare was cute.

It was a big responsability though as I had discovered. Clare was our femmefriend, if something happened to her while she was unable to properly look after herself it would be our fault. She had to rely on us, and we had to make sure that we didn't let her down.

Just before we had arrived Jazz had commed us to tell us that he had Clare in the rec room, and to come pick her up from there. So that was the first place we headed to upon arriving back at base.

Upon arriving the first thing I took in was Clare toddling around the room near Ironhide and Chromia. Bob was tailing her around the room while she explored the area near the energon dispensers, the tv stand, underneath the tables, between the peds of the other Autobots. She was all over the room getting into stuff, Jazz was sufficiently distracted from anything else by chasing her all over.

Clare skittered over to where Optimus was refueling her tiny form easily being hidden behind his ped. "Wed n Boo I come up no'." She demanded.

Sunny snorted when she called Optimus Red and Blue.

Optimus leaned down to pick Clare up from the floor. "My designation is Optimus. Op-ti-mus. Can you say that?" Our leader smiled down at the tiny sparkling he was holding. She chirped back at him.

We scooted a little closer to where they were sitting as her mouth started trying to work the sounds that made up Optimus' designation. "Optilus...Opimis...Optis...Optis!" She chirped proudly. "Optis! Unca Optis!"

Optimus chuckled at her. "Op-ti-mus." He repeated it several times for her.

She furrowed her optic ridges in concentration, making her look utterly adorable. At least I thought so. "Opius...Opimus? Opimus?" Jazz sat down beside them causing her little helm to whip in his direction. "Opimus?" She asked him curiously.

"Close baybay spark. Say Op-ti-mus." Jazz coached her.

She pouted. "I alweady sai' it! Unca Opimus!"

I finally made my presence known to her. "That's close Clare, but it is Optimus. Don't you wanna say it like a big girl?"

Her optics widened so much that they nearly bugged out of her helm. "I is a big giwl! I big giwl! I say it wight pomise! I did!" She protested.

"You almost said it right. I'll make you a deal sweets! If you can say it right I will give you an energon candy!"

"Enygon cany?"

"Yup! It's sweet and it tastes really really yummy! Don't you want an energon candy?"

"Yeah! Yeah! I wan' an enygon cany! I wan' one peetty pease! I be good!" She promised vehemently.

"Ok so try it again! If you do better I'll give you an energon candy."

**(Do you really think that she's going to be able to say it because you bribed her?) **Sunny muttered over the bond. He was secretly amused by the situation though.

I shrugged. **(Worth a shot.)**

**(You know that you're going to give her one even if she doesn't get it right.) **

**(Yeah probably.)**

He went silent after that, no longer commenting our little deal. The silence allowed everybot to hear Clare trying to work out Optimus' designation again. Pronouncing the _**t**_ was what was tripping her up.

She trilled several times. "Opmus...Opinus...Opti-optius. Op-Op-Optimus."

"Ya go' it baybay spark!" Jazz cheered.

Clare trilled in excitement and clapped her little servos together. "Yeah I di' it! I di' it! No' gi'e me enygon cany!"

Everybot laughed at her demand, as did I. Keeping my end of the deal I retrieved a single energon candy from my subspace and handed it to her. "You did good."

"Yeah uh huh I di'!" She chirped proudly. The energon candy was hastily shoved into her mouth so that she could try and chew it. I was pretty sure that it was a little too hard for her still developing jaw joints and relays to break through. Little trails of lubricant dripped down her chin as she sucked the candy. "We...goin...mphhhay...no'."

"What?"

She gulped down the candy so that she could answer me only it must have been too big for her throat cable because she suddenly started choking.

Jazz jumped to his peds right after the first gag, his servos snatching her from Optimus' servos in a move too fast to see. He took her and tilted her forward patting her little back as she choked. By now everybot was on their peds.

Sunny and I tensed as protective programming kicked online. we didn't know what to do to help her though.

Jazz tilted her frame down at an angle and patted her back harder. Almost immediately the candy she had swallowed shot out of her mouth onto the table top with enough force to make it bounce several times.

Clare started crying right after that. Big gasping wails of fear. She clutched at Jazz like her life depended on it.

He rocked her with a deep purring resonating from his chassis. Her cries kept up for another two kliks or so before finally quieting down to the occasional sniffle. Even so she clutched at Jazz in a death grip, optics flashing as they communicated using their creator bond.

I vented heavily in relief. My protective programming simmered down to a dull buzz now that she wasn't in danger. It had surprised me that it had reared up as strongly as it had, but I took it as a testiment to the rapidly growing feelings we felt for her. Hopefully it meant that our sparks were compatible as well.

She had her face buried in Jazz's shoulder while he rubbed at her back gently. His visor covered optics shifted in our direction. "No more energon candy unless you cut it into smaller pieces."

"Ok." We'd have to come up with something else for her to snack on. "Don't you have to go soon Jazz?"

"Yeah ah do 'ave ta go." He looked reluctant to do so.

"Well that's why we're here!" I joked.

"Ah kno'. She's 'ad 'er mornin energon a'ready. Prowler gave 'er a ba'h. She may nee' a nap soon."

We listened to Jazz prattle on about instructions on this and that with boredom. Sure we weren't experts on sparklings but we had watched her yesterday so we weren't that confused on what to do.

After he finished explaining everything to us Clare was handed over to me. She reached for Jazz with a soft whining noise. "Opi."

"Opi hasta go an' work no' ok baybay? Sides an' Sunny are gonna watch ya until ah ge' back. Can ya be'ave for em while Prowler an' ah work?"

"Yes. I be goo' giwl."

"Ok sparklet be'ave for da twins until ah ge' back ok? Ah luv ya." Jazz kissed her helm.

"I be goo' giwl pomise." She repeated.

With one last pat Jazz turned and left us in the rec room. Clare watched him go silently for a moment before turning to me. "We pay no'? Where Bob at? Can we cowor? Can we pay games? Can we wa'ch cawtoons?"

I chuckled. "Yes yes yes yes yes yes! Yes to all of those questions. As for Bob he's down by Sunny's ped."

She looked down at where the insecticon was peeking out from behind Sunny's ped, where he had fled in the commotion caused by her choking. "Bob come! Come pay wit' me! We gonna cowor, n we gonna pay hide n seek! Come!"

Bob instantly scaled my armor within astroseconds cuddling up next to Clare.

Sunny quickly retrieved us some energon to take back to our room. We turned to leave after I called out some goodbyes to everybot. "See ya later!"

Clare chirped and waved as well. "Buh bye! We goin pay no'!"

She chattered excitedly during the entire trip back to our room. I sat her down in a small makeshift pen that Ratchet had thrown together for her. There were several small toys that Lennox and Epps had procured for her, that she immediately took interest in. Bob napped beside her while she jiggled a small bell ball.

While she was doing that Sunny and I finished our energon quickly, before he went to work on a painting. Once again Lennox had pulled some strings to get Sunny art supplies more suitable to our size. Something which Sunny was secretly grateful for. They had just arrived this morning before patrol so I doubted anything would be able to drag him away for a while.

I watched him start painting a familiar place on the canvas. The crystal gardens in Praxus. We had gone to see them once after getting out of the pits, unfortunately the war had started soon after and they had been destroyed. Sunny had always wanted to paint that scene. It did not surprise me that he did so right away.

For almost two earth hours I watched him work. Clare had fallen into recharge after roughly half an hour of playing, and had stayed that way. She still showed no signs of waking up.

A comm. link suddenly pinged on my HUD. **:Yo.:**

**:Sideswipe I need you to come to the med bay to get Clare's bottle. She's due for a feeding now.:**

**:Alright I'm on my way.: **

I cut the link and stood to leave. I didn't need to tell Sunny because he already knew. The beauty of a twin bond. The only bond that was as strong was a mate bond. He didn't look up as I exited the room.

The halls were empty during my walk to the med bay, and nobot was there besides Ratchet when I got there. He inquired as to whether Clare had napped, whether she was looking well, if there were any problems, things like that. I answered honestly to all the questions. Ratchet seemed satisfied and handed me the bottle.

Afterwards I quickly left the med bay to return to our room. On the way there I felt a sudden burst of mixed emotions, from surprise, to irritation, all the way to amusement. My own curiosity peaked as I arrived back at the room.

The reason for Sunny's surprise became apparent when I walked inside. Even I was so surprised that I almost dropped the bottle. Instead I burst out laughing when Clare's paint spotted helm turned towards me, a happy chirp escaping from her.

She was covered in Sunny's paint, splotches of red, pink, green, yellow, and just about every other color imaginable. It wasn't only her either, Bob was covered in paint as well. Sunny was standing in front of his canvas protectively, and multicolored paint was splattered all over his chassis.

"Sies! Sies! Me n Sunny make peetty cowors!" Clare informed me proudly. My optics locked in on the bright purple smudge on her nasal ridge.

I had to fight a laugh. "You did? How did you get into Sunny's paint?"

"He no payin tention to me n I go' in'o i'. Make peetty cowors on Bob n Sunny."

**(How did she get passed you in order to get into your paint?)** I asked Sunny over the bond.

Sensing my amusement he sent a pulse of aggravation back at me. **(Shut up Sides! You know how I get when I paint!)**

**(True. The base could probably get bombed and you wouldn't care enough to stop painting.)**

He growled over the bond, anger welling over from his end. **(Shut up!)**

**(Fine I'll be quiet if you give her a bath. Ya know since you were the slagger that was dumb enough to not pay attention to her. How did you not notice until it got to this point?)**

**(I thought she was recharging! And why do I have to... Argh! Fraggit all to the pit! I'll give her a bath but only because you might get solvent in her optics!)**

**(Yeah right. You just love her sooo much! You want to bathe her! You want to hug her! You want to play with her! And once she's older you'll still want to bathe with her! You'll want to love on her! You'll want to-OW!) **

Sunny pulled back from where he had punched me in my helm. He grabbed Clare up from the floor and left the room.

**(Hey what about Bob?!)**

**(You can bathe him! I only agreed to bathe Clare.)**

**(Aft.)** I huffed. Scooping Bob up I turned and followed him to the wash racks. When I got there Sunny was filling up a small basin with warm solvent for Clare who did not look happy to get another bath.

"No! Wanna pay! No take a baf!"

An outraged squeal shook the walls when Sunny lowered her into the basin anyways. She whirred angrily and splashed at him. Her optics became locked on the droplets flying through the air, anger forgotten. Angry whirs became happy squeals as she took to splashing the solvent out of the basin for fun.

I shook my helm and started washing Bob in a different basin, my optics never leaving her. Sunny was washing her with one of his own wash rags but she kept squirming away in her excitement. It felt like it was starting to aggravate Sunny. He didn't let it show since he knew that she didn't mean to do it to anger him. Sparklings just couldn't concentrate on anything for too long.

She splashed and trilled, flailing around in the basin without a care. Solvent hit the floor, some hit Sunny, some hit the walls. It seemed to be making her day each time a splash hit something. Well at least she was cleaning Sunny while he cleaned her.

Sunny turned briefly to glare at me. When he turned back a splash of water hit him right in the face.

"I gocha Sunny!" Clare giggled.

My twin just sighed and wiped the solvent off of his face. He hurried to finish washing her off before lifting her from the basin.

I finished washing Bob and dried him off with a towel while Sunny did the same to Clare. She was not happy about being taken away from her game and was letting her displeasure show through her loud screams and trills.

"Clare if you behave I will give you some paper to paint on." Sunny promised her.

"Ma'e peetty cowors?" Clare chirped.

"Yes. I will let you make pretty colors if you promise not to get it on anything but the paper. Can you promise me that?"

"I pomise no' ta get peetty cowors on any'hing but' da papor."

"Ok. Remember you're not supposed to break promises."

"M'kay! No bake pomises!"

Sunny grumbled under his breath after he picked her up. **(Primus sparklings are a handful!)**

**(Think of it as practice in case we ever become creators.) **I told him.

**(What are you talking about? Become creators? Why would you think for even one astrosecond that we would make decent creators? Who would even want to have our sparklings?) **

**(Clare would I bet.)**

That shocked him into silence. He stayed like that after we left the wash racks, all the way to the room. It kept up even after he got Clare some paper and paintbrushes to paint with. She laid down on her stomach plates while she painted on the paper, Sunny sat next to her silently.

Clare hummed a song while we all sat there, the sound the only noise in the room. "Tinkle tinkle widdle staw! 'Ow I wondew wat ou awe! Up above da wowld so 'igh! Like a diamon in da sky! Tinkle tinkle widdle staw! 'Ow I wis' I was whewe ou awe!"

Her little paintbrush created a bright sun on the paper, with several forms standing in the grass she had painted. One was red, another was gold, and the last one was a tiny silver one. It was obvious that she was painting us.

Sunny and I watched her paint, her obviously trying to be careful not to get paint on anything but the paper. Everytime she got close to the edge her glossa would pop out of her mouth as a little furrow came to her optic ridges, then she would pick her arm up dramatically and move it back to the center of the paper. It was amusing to say the least.

I was entranced with watching her. That was why it surprised me when Sunny suddenly said something to me.

**(Do you really think that Clare...would want to have our sparklings?)**

Surprise caused me to whip in his direction. I hadn't really known whether he would even think too much about what I had said. I had meant it but Sunny had been so quiet... **(Yes I do. Why? Do you not want to have them with her?)**

He was silent for several long moments. **(I...never really thought about it. Femmes never stay no matter what...we haven't even been with her as long as we were with some of those femmes on Cybertron. They didn't work out. What if she changes her mind later?)**

**(I don't think she will... If she stays would you want to though?)**

**(I don't think I would make a good creator Sides.)**

**(Look at how well you handle her Sunny. She doesn't remember you the way she used to and she still adores you. If you ask me you'll make a good mech creator.)**

**(I never thought about it like that.)** Through the bond I could see him watching Clare paint, I could see his memories of her from when we had first met her to the current moment, and feel the emotions associated with them. Sunny was more than attached to her, he was smitten. Smitten may even be putting it lightly, it was more like...love. No matter her form his spark reacted with possessive affection. That was just how Sunny was.

His affection almost filled me completely. If it wasn't love yet it soon would be. I knew that I was almost there as well. She had us in the palm of her little servos, and it felt good. To be wanted for nothing more than who we were...it felt nice.

"Oopsies..."

Both of us snapped out of it at the same time upon hearing Clare's soft voice. We looked down at where she had accidentally painted on the floor.

Tears welled up in her optics as she sniffled.

I felt not only my own burst of alarm, but one from Sunny as well. Neither of us really knew how to handle crying. "It's ok Clare! Accidents happen!" I reassured her.

She ignored me and started full on crying as loud as she had after her choking spell earlier.

Oh slag! Oh slag! Oh slag! Whatdowedowhatdowedowhatdowedowhatdowedo?! I had no fragging clue!

**(Calm down!)** Sunny snapped!

He shifted so that he was on his knees beside her. "What's wrong Clare?" He asked, his voice surprisingly soft.

"I accidenly go' pain' on da f'oow! I boked my pomise!" She wailed.

"It's ok accidents happen spark. We can clean it up. See? I have a rag we can use to wipe it up. Do you want to help?" Sunny asked her.

Tears were still streaming down her cheeks. "I hewp?"

He handed her the damp rag covered in a weak cleaning solvent.

She took it and started wiping up the paint sadness forgotten instantly. I decided the moment that she started singing some song about spiders getting washed down a spout or something, that sparklings had absolutely no control over their mental processes whatsoever.

**(Did you just now figure that out?)** Sunny huffed.

I sent him a playful shove over the bond.

Together we could handle sparkling Clare! I was sure of it!

How bad could it get?

* * *

**(Jazz's POV)**

Three days had passed since Clare had been turned into a sparkling. In that time almost everybot had been roped into sparklingsitting her at least once or twice when either Prowler and I were busy, or the twins.

Right now I had her since Prowler was busy with datapads, and the twins were out on patrol. It was my off cycle so I planned on spending as much time as possible with her. The twins would probably join us after they got off from patrol, but for the next few earth hours it was just us.

It was early, just after six in the morning earth time so Clare was still recharing in my hold. She hadn't even woken up for long enough to take a bottle or a bath. The most I had gotten from her was a quick blink of her tired optics before they disappeared again behind her optic shutters.

I didn't think much of it until I felt her stir in my hold. I sent a happy pulse of love through the bond expecting one in return. What came back was a weak feeling of love. More than that I sensed unease from her.

My hold popped open allowing me to reach in to retrieve her. As soon as she came free I noticed the teary optics, quivering mouth, and the way she curled into herself. "Whatsa matta baybay spark?"

She whirred weakly. "Opi no feew goo'."

Right after she said that she gagged softly. I barely had time to prop her up in time for purge to come shooting out of her mouth. It sprayed onto the floor by my peds, her tiny frame quivering from how hard she expelled it.

Immediately after stopping she started crying. "Owie! My 'ead hur's! My tummy hur's! Opi ma'e i' sop!"

I repositioned her in my arms so that she could curl into my chassis. First stop this morning was the med bay. Hopefully there was nothing seriously wrong with her. It might be a virus, though that was normally only caused by catching something via the internet, or having weakened systems from an injury. As far as I knew she hadn't been on the internet, nor had she been injured. Perhaps the change had done something to cause it?

Ratchet looked up when I walked into the med bay. "Jazz." His optics drifted down to Clare who was sniffling and crying.

"Clare don' feel too goo' Ratch. She purged 'er tanks on da floo' ou' in da hallway."

He hummed. "Sit her down so that I may run a scan to see what is wrong. Most likely it is simply a case of upset tanks. Sparklings suffer from that quite often."

I sat down next to the berth that I put her on. One of her little servos wrapped around my pointer digit tightly as she whirred her distress. Waves of nausea and sadness passed through the bond.

She didn't even fight when Ratchet scanned her like the twins said she did when they had brought her last time. She just laid there completely limp in a partial ball. I rubbed her helm to soothe her.

Ratchet finished his scan quickly then spent roughly one klik looking over the results. An angry growl thundered in his chassis. "She has a virus."

"Ho' did she ge' i'?"

"Well I put a block on her syncing unit to prevent her from accessing the internet because her firewalls are still weak. It appears that somebot removed the block, and then allowed her to access the internet. She contracted a virus from there."

My optics narrowed beneath my visor. "Who had her yesterday?"

"Well the twins had her in the morning, then Hot Rod had her in the afternoon for a few groons."

The first thing I did after hearing that was contact the twins. **:Sideswipe? Sunstreaker?:**

**:Yo! What's up Jazz? Is Clare giving you pit?: **Sideswipe's amused voice responded back.

**:Naw no' really. We're in da med bay righ' no' since mah sparkling some'ow go' access to da internet where she caugh' a virus. Any idea 'ow dat 'appened?: **

**:No idea. I thought that she couldn't access the internet? Who was stupid enough to let her?: **Sunstreaker growled.

**:Dunno bu' she's purgin' all over da place. If yo' didn' do it den it 'ad to 'ave been Hot Rod.: **If I found out that it was him I was going to teach him not to frag with my sparkling.

Twin growls echoed through the comm. link. **:Save some for us when we get back!:**

**:Ah will.: **With that I cut the link and opened another one with Hot Rod.

It took him a moment to answer me. **:Hey Jazz what's up?:**

**:Didja le' Clare on da internet yes'erday? She contracted a virus fro' some'here.:**

**:No it wasn't me. The only thing I can think of was when I had to carry Wheeljack to the med bay after he blew his lab up again. I left her in a pen in the rec room and when I got back Skids and Mudflap were messing with her. She was acting strangely when I came back.: **

A growl escaped me. The mini twins... **:Ah'righ' ah'll check into it.: **

Ratchet was injecting Clare with a mild pain suppressant to help with the nausea and aches, while he simultaneously reinstalled her sync block. Normally she would squirm or cry, instead she just laid there limp. "Hot Rod sai' dat when 'e had ta bring Jacky 'ere yesterday the mini twins were messin wit' Clare when 'e came back."

"Idiots! Do they not realize that she has weak firewalls still even in her adult form? I have yet to finish updating them all the way! And even if I had I doubt they would be fully effective now!" He hissed.

Clare's systems whined in distress as she gagged again. Ratchet turned her over so that she didn't purge all over herself. Instead the bright blue purge got all over the berth. She kicked her legs and whined.

"Fragging incompetant idiotic slagging mother fraggers on this base!" Ratchet sat her on her back on the berth away from the purge. He quickly cleaned it up with a rag scowling the entire time.

"It's nothing serious right?"

"No. It's like when a human has the flu. She'll be sore, cranky, nauseated, and tired for the next solar cycle or two. She may not want to refuel, and she may have difficulty keeping it down even if she does take it."

I was going to kill Skids and Mudflap. "Mind watchin 'er while ah go an' remind da twins no' ta come anywhere near mah sparklin?" My bond with Prowler shifted as he focused in after sensing my anger.

**[Jazz? Is there a reason why you are so angry?] **

**[Clare is sick. Skids and Mudflap removed her syncing block so she contracted a virus from getting on the internet. Poor thing is purging her tanks all over.] **

**[They what...?]**

I grinned wickedly when I sensed Prowler's own anger spike intensely. **[Yes. They removed the block that Ratchet put in her processor to prevent her from syncing to the internet, that is why she is sick.]**

**[I will comm them to come to my office right away. You focus on taking care of her.]**

Oh I would take real good care of her...then I would hunt the twins down and show them what happens when you mess with my family unit. Maybe Sideswipe and Sunstreaker would want to help me? **[Ok.]**

**[...What are you planning?]**

**[Nothing. Have fun punishing them Prowler!] **

Before he could reply I dulled the bond down, gathered Clare up, took the special med grade that Ratchet held out for me, then left the med bay.

I returned to our room where I sat down on the couch and tried to get Clare to drink her bottle. She whined and pushed it away from her mouth everytime I tried to get her to take it. "C'mon sparklet...ya gotta drink it."

"Noooo...no feew goo'. Don' wanna ea'." Her systems whined emphasizing her point.

"Can ya try an' take a lil bit for meh baybay?"

"Bu' I no feew goo'."

"Jus' a few drinks sparklet. If ya ge' too sick yo' can stop." I guided the tip of the bottle into her mouth.

She drank it slow her tanks audibly groaning due to the addition of the energon. A little grimace came to her face plates just before she pushed the bottle away and gagged again.

Shifting her in my servos I gently rubbed her back to help her keep it down. She gagged anyways but nothing came out this time. That didn't stop her from crying when they churned sickeningly. Even I winced when the sound assaulted my audios.

I got up and walked with her, gently rocking her while I purred low in my chassis. She continued crying for at least ten kliks before she settled down with a soft whine. If I could just get her to take a little nap maybe she would refuel when she woke up, something told me it would be easier then.

We went back and forth, me trying to rock her into recharge, her whining and fighting her recharge protocols. She was letting me know with each step that she was not at all pleased, that she did not want to recharge or refuel. She kept telling me, not so much through words but with feelings that she was demanding me to make the pain go away.

And we kept this up for another five or six kliks until she finally slipped into a fitful recharge. I put her in the makeshift tank that she often napped in. She curled up into a ball on her side where I covered her with a small blanket. Normally I would put her in my hold but if she got sick and purged in there it would be a real pain to clean it. Plus with what I had planned she would be jostled around so much that she would most likely get sick.

I grinned...with her taking a nap it was the perfect time to act. Surely the femmes wouldn't mind watching her for me while I exacted my revenge...

* * *

**(Sunny's POV)**

Skids and Mudflap were...bound in titanium ropes and strung from the ceiling. All everybot on base could do was stare at their bright pink paint accented with little yellow flowers. It was silent until Sides busted out laughing his aft off.

It even got me to chuckle. All the clues screamed either us or Jazz, and since it wasn't us it was obviously him. The real question was why did he string them up from the ceiling after painting them pink with little yellow flowers?

Those thoughts fell to the back of my processor when my optics landed on Hot Rod standing nearby staring at the idiots like everybot else. My engine kicked up a notch with a growl. All humor died down as I approached him. "Hot Rod."

He turned to look at me, scowling. "Sunstreaker. Sideswipe."

"You allowed our femme to catch a virus." I puffed up my chassis and growled. Beside me Sides did the same.

"What are you talking about? I didn't have anything to do with that."

"You were assigned to watch her, when she is in your care anything that happens to her is your fault." I took a threatening step forward.

He tensed and held his ground. "Maybe you should get your facts straight before **YOU** start making accusations Sunstreaker. The same goes for both of you, you're hardly in any position to be accusing me of anything."

It took everything in me not to just attack him. I hated this prissy mech that never had to fight or struggle for anything before the war started, a mech that thought he was just above everybot else. He thought that he deserved everything just because he was sparked by nobles unlike us. I knew that he had showed an interest in Clare and that only served to further increase my dislike of him. She was our's that was all there was to it.

If he challenged us for her it would be him with his parts strewn across the floor. I could guarantee it.

"The point is she got sick while in your care Hot Rod! You were responsible for her. Can you argue that?" Sides pressed.

"Before I tell you to frag off I should inform you that the ones responsible for Clare becoming ill are hanging up there. Now frag yourselves." With that Hot Rod turned and walked away from us.

I wanted to go after him and show him not to turn his back to me but Sides put a servo on my shoulder to stop me. Clare was more important than losing my temper, he had to remind me of that. I forced myself to calm down something that I had never done before. **(Let's go see Clare.)**

Sides sent an affirmative over the bond. Together we made our way to Jazz and Prowl's room.

Upon walking in my audios were assaulted by the sound of wailing. Next was the sight of Jazz pacing with Clare crying in his arms. Her voice was weak sounding despite the fact that she was screaming.

"Didja two see wha' ah did ta da otha twins?" Jazz asked distractedly.

"Yeah it was pretty good. Fraggers deserve it for putting her at risk." We fully entered the room so that the door could shut behind us.

"Need some help Jazz?" Sides offered. "I'm sure that you're aggravated and that might not be helping her calm down. If you wanna take a small break I'll try feeding her."

"Ya don' mind watchin 'er while ah go get some energon real quick?"

"Nope. We don't mind." Sides reached for Clare's still screaming form.

Jazz sighed dejectedly completely relinquishing her to my twin. He handed Sides a bottle. "She won' refuel, an' everytime she does she purges 'er tanks. If ah can' get 'er to refuel Ratch wan's ta keep 'er in da med bay hooked to an IV."

What sparkling would like that?

"We'll try and get her to eat Jazz just go get yourself some energon. She'll be well looked after until you get back."

"T'anks Sunny. Ah'll only be gon' fo' a few kliks."

Clare's wailing covered the sound of the door opening and closing as Jazz left. It was steadily reaching an entirely new decibel each time she opened her little mouth as wide as physically possible. She. Was. Not. A. Happy. Sparkling.

"Shhhh Clare...Sunny and I came to see you spark!" Sides cooed down at her. It did little to quiet her down. She continued to cry until she worked herself up so much that she turned and purged all over the floor.

The screaming only picked up after that. At this rate she was going to burn her vocaliser up!

Sides tried purring, rocking her, shushing her, talking to her, and nothing worked. Her little cheeks were flushed a bright enraged blue while the rest of her was paling due to stress.

I held my servos out for Sides to hand her over, once she was in my grasp I accessed what I could find on sparklings. What I knew was very basic, purring normally soothed them, if that didn't work there were instructions to continue it and stimulate one of their sensitive spots such as antennas, doorwings, finials. Jazz must have tried this already...

A purr started up in my chassis free servo reaching up to rub a ther antennas. There was an almost immediate change in her, though I sensed it was more because she was getting tired. Her cries started quieting down to gasping pants that sounded like something scratching against metal.

**(Hand me her bottle.) **

She was surprisingly easy to coax into refueling. The process was not particularly fast since every few moments I had to pull back when her tanks gave a gurgling groan, then after she settled I would have to start again. I did not want to be purged on if it could be helped.

Jazz came back about halfway through her feeding. "Ya go' her ta refuel?"

Sapphire optics drifted over towards Jazz lazily while she suckled her energon down slowly. She had mostly calmed down now save for a small grimace here and there. Luckily no more crying happened.

She finished almost the entire bottle much to Jazz's pleasure, and she was able to hold it down. I expected her to power down for a nap but she just laid there wide awake yet still quiet.

"Feew ucky...Tummy hur's."

"Maybe next time you don't listen to Skids and Mudflap when they tell you to do something."

"Bu' Sunny dey sai' it was fun!"

"Does it feel fun now?"

"...No. Tummy hur's. Don' feew goo'. Skids n Mudfwap dumbies. Tewl me do bad suff."

"So you don't listen to them from now on."

"Nope. No wisten ta dumbyhead one n two."

Sides snickered. "Nope! No more listening to dumbyheads one or two."

**(You sounded ridiculous when you said that.)**

**(I sound awesome no matter what I say.) **

**(You wish.) **

Jazz reached out to take her from me settling her into the crook of his arm. Some soft music started spilling from his speakers astroseconds later. Some earth composition that appeared to be a lullaby.

_**'Little child, be not afraid**_  
_**The rain pounds harsh against the glass**_  
_**Like an unwanted stranger**_  
_**There is no danger**_  
_**I am here tonight'**_

_**'Little child**_  
_**Be not afraid**_  
_**Though thunder explodes**_  
_**And lightning flash**_  
_**Illuminates your tearstained face**_  
_**I am here tonight' **_

_**'And someday you'll know**_  
_**That nature is so**_  
_**This same rain that draws you near me**_  
_**Falls on rivers and land**_  
_**And forests and sand**_  
_**Makes the beautiful world that you see**_  
_**In the morning' **_

_**'Little child**_  
_**Be not afraid**_  
_**The storm clouds mask your beloved moon**_  
_**And its candlelight beams**_  
_**Still keep pleasant dreams**_  
_**I am here tonight' **_

_**'Little child**_  
_**Be not afraid**_  
_**The wind makes creatures of our trees**_  
_**And the branches to hands**_  
_**They're not real, understand**_  
_**And I am here tonight'**_

The music appeared to have the desired effect on Clare, making her optics droop tiredly. She squirmed in Jazz's arms fussing slightly before settling again as her creator hummed along with the song.

_**'For you know, once even I**_  
_**Was a little child**_  
_**And I was afraid**_  
_**But a gentle someone always came**_  
_**To dry all my tears**_  
_**Trade sweet sleep the fears**_  
_**And to give a kiss goodnight'**_

_**'Well, now I am grown**_  
_**And these years have shown**_  
_**Rain's a part of how life goes**_  
_**But it's dark and it's late**_  
_**So I'll hold you and wait**_  
_**'til your frightened eyes do close'**_

_**'And I hope that you'll know**_  
_**That nature is so**_  
_**This same rain that draws you near me**_  
_**Falls on rivers and land**_  
_**And forests and sand**_  
_**Makes the beautiful world that you see**_  
_**In the morning'**_

_**'Everything's fine in the morning**_  
_**The rain will be gone in the morning**_  
_**But I'll still be here in the morning'**_

By the time the song came to an end Clare was already in recharge. Jazz shifted her into his hold carefully before closing it.

All of us released a relieved sigh now that she was out. Sparklings sure were hard to care for when they were sick. Pit when they weren't sick they could be little monsters. At least Clare was.

"T'anks fo' da help mechs. Poo' t'ing was 'aving a heck of a time wit' bein sick." Jazz nodded at us.

Sides shrugged. "Neither of us did that much Jazz. We just held her and let her cry until she was too tired to cry anymore."

"Ya still 'elped meh ou' big time. Ah t'ought she woul' neva go inta recharge."

"We'd do just about anything for Clare."

My thoughts exactly. I didn't tell him that though. Those words were ones that I would never say out loud to anybot except for Clare or Sides. Sides caught my gaze and grinned at me making me huff irritably.

Idiot already knew how I felt so why act so stupid about it all the time?

You know what? I didn't want an answer to that. To ask would only incite my brother's stupid tendencies which was something that I did not want right now.

All I did want was for Clare to turn back already... Wheeljack better hurry up or else I was going to make good on my promise to maim him. Because that's what it was, a promise.

And nobot better question me about my resolve to do just that.

Nobot.

* * *

R&amp;R! Sorry it's a tad shorter than usual but I had something that I needed help from you guys for! Instead of doing reviews I'm going to list roughly twenty dresses that I picked out for Clare to wear to prom. I suck at fashion so I need some help! Either leave a selection in the review, or PM me! Also if you don't like color you can include whatever color you think would be better in the message. Here we go!

s/la-femme-embellished-lace-jersey-mesh-gown/3922561?origin=category-personalizedsort&amp;contextualcategoryid=0&amp;fashionColor=&amp;resultback=7127

s/terani-couture-embellished-sheer-panel-jersey-gown/3924661?origin=category-personalizedsort&amp;contextualcategoryid=0&amp;fashionColor=&amp;resultback=5744

2014-Elegant-Prom-Dresses-Sheath-Short-Mini-One-Shoulder-with-beads-sequins-7747865

floor-length-prom-dress-column-sleeveless-chiffon-with-rhinestone-7743596

Trumpet-Sweetheart-Floor-length-Chiffon-Prom-Dresses-2014-with-Applique-7744540

2014-beaded-prom-dress-One-Shoulder-Straps-red-Tulle-with-rhinestone-ruffles-7745781

a-line-short-mini-2014-Shimmery-one-shoulder-homecoming-dresses-ruffles-with-beadings-and-sequins-7742195

2015-Sweetheart-Mermaid-trumpet-Prom-Dresses-lace-With-Beads-Applique-7751254

2015-Special-Occasion-Dresses-Sheath-Column-Sleeveless-Sweep-Brush-Train-Zipper-Up-Back-With-Applique-7751524

2012-Ball-Gown-long-Quinceanera-Dresses-Sweetheart-organza-pleated-bodice-7718410

a-line-homecoming-dresses-sweetheart-short-mini-organza-sleeveless-color-gold-7730713

2012-a-line-princess-high-low-Prom-Dresses-Sweetheart-organza-pleated-bodice-7717414

2014-Marvelous-Sweetheart-A-Line-Prom-Dress-high-low-with-ruffles-and-beads-7747719

shop/dresses/viewitem-PD1387117

shop/dresses/viewitem-PD1352180

shop/dresses/viewitem-PD1370473

shop/dresses/viewitem-PD1394944

shop/dresses/viewitem-PD1395048

** shop/dresses/viewitem-PD1300245**


	25. Chapter 25

Poor sick Clare! Unfortunately in order to progress with the story she must change back...I kinda want her to stay though. Anyways I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! Some small smut between Jazz&amp;Prowl in this one. Also some more serious smut between the twins and Clare at the end! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! IT IS RATHER DESCRIPTIVE! NO LEMON THOUGH!

* * *

**(Prowl's POV)**

Two more solar cycles had gone by in which Jazz and I tended to Clare diligently. Caring for a sick sparkling was more difficult than I had expected it to be. From the constant screaming and crying, the purging all over, and the stress that overwhelmed both of us from seeing her so distressed; all of it was a trying experience.

She had gradually recovered over that time, purging less, crying less, and refueling more. It was safe to say that she was almost completely over it. Ratchet had agreed with my assessment after scanning her this morning.

Now both Clare and myself were in my office while I worked. Most everybot on base was busy with patrol, or training, or ornly checkups. That was why I had to bring Clare with me while I worked.

It wasn't too much trouble right now because she was in recharge in my hold, where she had been for most of the morning. That meant that she would be waking up soon for a feeding.

I had prepared my office with a pen for her to play in while I worked. Toys lined the padded floor of the pen, along with a blanket for her should she want to recharge in there.

Our time with her as a sparkling was coming to a close soon. I wanted to spend as much time with her as possible before she changed back. It was fortunate that I was able to have her for the day. If Wheeljack finished on time either today or tomorrow she would be changed back.

The thought filled me with equal parts sadness and relief. In a way I wanted her to stay as she was so that Jazz and I could care for her longer, at the same time Clare had her memories and her human family unit to consider as well. It wasn't fair to want her to stay when doing so meant that she could never go back to them. She would always have to be here with us, and as much as I wanted that her human family had cared for her with love since she was a sparkling. It would be selfish.

I was brought out of my musings when a soft pressure fluttered against the sides of my hold. A sense of curiosity and love drifted through the bond, prompting me to reach into my hold to retrieve the small sparkling contained within.

She chirped at me after I withdrew her. "Daddy! I awa'e no'!"

"I can see that Clare. Did you have a good recharge sparklet?"

"Mm hmm uh huh yeah! Bu' I ungwee no'!"

I could not help but to chuckle at her. "Yes I am aware. Would you like to refuel now?"

She nodded eagerly. "Yes pease!"

Shifting her back into the crook of my arm, I brought the bottle to her mouth. Her mouth latched onto the tip and suckled the energon down vigorously. Bright sapphire optics drifted around my office while she sucked each drop out of the bottle finishing quickly.

I held her for a while forgoing my work for once. Normally I would not, but this could be my last day to hold her like this.

A soft questioning chirp came from my sparkling. "Why ou sad?"

"I do not want you to grow up." I told her honestly.

"Bu' I onwy a widdle giwl. We don' jus' get big in one day!"

My chassis rumbled with a laugh. "No I suppose not." If only that was true for her. Come this time tomorrow she would be an adult. Granted only if Wheeljack did not blow himself trying to finish his aging beam. From what I had gathered from his reports the latest one, in a series of over a dozen, was functioning with a very low self destruct percentile.

That meant that he would most likely finish it, if it did not blow up sometime during that time span. With Wheeljack it was hard for even my logic center to always come up with an accurate outcome for his experimentation.

"I be widdle fo' wong time!" She told me seriously. "My birfday no' tiw Febiarwy nineteenf. Den I be phwee yews old!"

"Three years old?"

"Mm hmm uh huh yeah! I be phwee yews old! Peetty soon I be 'llowed ta go ta skoo'!"

I was pretty sure that the minimum age to attend school was five years of age excluding what the humans called Pre School. She seemed so excited to chat about it that I had not the spark to tell her she was wrong.

"We cowor in skoo' n we leawn da alphawet. Umm we leawn ta coun' too!"

She prattled on about the things that human children learned in school. I already knew since Cybertronian younglings attended school as well. There weren't any schools left intact there now, nor was there any real reason to build more when we could not reproduce any longer. Before the Allspark had been destoroyed, when there was hope I had wanted to rebuild the schools as soon as we rebuilt the cities. It looked like that would not happen, and it saddened me to think about that.

"Ou sad 'gain?"

Yes I was. Looking at her made me think of all the good things that had been lost during the war, the younglings and sparklings, the femme bots, our cities, homes, our way of life. All of it gone.

I forced myself not to feel the desolation that normally accompanied those thoughts. It would do no good now, it never would. What was important was putting an end to the war, and then focusing on what we did have left. What we still had to live for. For me it was Jazz and Clare. As long as I had them I could perservere, if only for them.

"Daddy I kno' wha' wiwl ma'e ou feew betta!"

My lips tilted into a small smile. "What?"

"We go pay!"

"Go play what?"

"Sie wawk chawk! We dwaw wit' it!"

I had to look up what this sidewalk chalk was to understand what exactly she was talking about. What I found was similar to drawing sticks on Cybertron, only these were made specially for drawing on concrete not paper. This was not something that we would have on base either. Of course she did not know that.

"We do not have any sidewalk chalk sparklet."

She gave a scandalized gasp. "No chawk?"

"No chalk. Would you like to paint instead?"

"Yea! Yea! I pain'! I pain'!"

"Ok let us go get some paint and paper for you to use."

A series of happy chirps escaped her as I picked her up and shifted her into my hold again. I felt her shift to the side closest to my spark where it felt like she curled in on herself. She sent waves of warmth and comfort to me over the bond.

It was a quick jaunt to the supply room for some paint and brushes, then to the rec room where I procured some paper from Epps and Lennox. Our human allies looked at me oddly when I told them what the supplies were for. I half expected them to say something to me but they did not.

Dismissing their reactions, I made my way back to my office. I set up some paper on the floor, with several plastic cups filled with a small amount of paint in each. Just to be safe I had even grabbed a tarp from the supply room to put down underneath her area. I was positive that it would ensure she did not make a mess.

Once I finished setting that up I took her out of my hold and sat her down near her supplies. "Ok sparklet there are rules to painting in my office. One: Do not paint on anything but the paper! Two: Do take any of your supplies off of the tarp. Three: Only use your paint brush to paint, not your servos. Can you do all of that?"

"Yea! Mm hmm uh huh yea!"

She quickly became engrossed in her activity, leaving me with time to start working on my reports.

Every breem or so I would look up to make sure that she was following the rules I had given her, and she seemed to be. Her papers were mostly covered in splotches of multicolored paint with no real semblance of shape or order. I smiled softly before returning to my work.

Work today consisted of organizing patrols, ordering necessary supplies, and looking over reports from the other Autobots. Mission reports, patrol reports, and overviews. The monotony of it soothed me.

A considerably amount of time passed in which I was able to get most of it done. Just as I was filing the last report Arcee entered my office to drop off more.

"Here are the new patrol reports, and some more supply requests."

I took them and sat them on the corner of my desk. "Thank you Arcee."

"Wheeljack also asked me to inform you that he should be finished with the aging beam by this time tomorrow."

"Very well. Have you informed Jazz yet?"

"No he hasn't returned from patrol yet."

"I will tell him when he returns. You may return to your duties."

She froze when she turned to leave. "Where is Clare at?"

I shot up out of my seat. The paint, and paper lay undisturbed in the corner, with no sign of my sparkling. My doorwings hitched higher on my back, optics shooting wildly around the room. All of my protective programming came online filling me with an all consuming need to find her. But she was not in the room. No heat signature could even be picked up on my scanners save for Arcee's.

My legs hurriedly carried me out the door to my office. Arcee followed after me.

She must have gotten out when Arcee had come in!

Jazz prodded at me over the bond upon sensing my distress. His own worry crashed into me with the force of Ironhide's leviathan cannons going off. **[Prowler? Wha's goin on?]**

**[Clare managed to get out of my office when Arcee came in to deliver some more reports. We are looking for her now.]**

**[Didja try contactin 'er over da bond?]**

That question gave me reason to pause. **[No I have not.]**

**[Try it.]**

As I continued down the corridor I focused in on the link tying me to Clare. I prodded at it to try and get her attention, to get her to respond to me so that I could figure out where she was. Her slight curiosity passed back into me but she did not respond like I hoped she would.

She was not too far away, certainly not anywhere outside of base. Somebot must have seen her. I needed help looking for her though, so I opened my comm. link to the public station.

Voices assaulted me right away each engrossed in their own conversations. **:Attention all Autobots, this is SIC Prowl! Clare has wandered off and I need everybot to be on the look out for her.: **

**:I'm over by training room B so I'll take a look around here!: **Flareup responded.

**:I'll check around the med bay.: **Ratchet.

**:Checking around my lab.: **Wheeljack.

**:Mia and I will check outside just in case she got out somehow.: **Ironhide.

**[Da twins an' ah are off of patrol, we're on our way back. We'll 'elp look when we ge' dere.]**

**[Alright. We'll keep looking until you return. I hope that we find her before then.]**

We had to find her. Sparklings could get into a slag load of trouble without proper supervision. Something told me that Clare would only be worse than an average sparkling. If I had met the twins as sparklings I had no doubt that they would be a lot like sparkling Clare.

Oh Primus we had to find her before she set something on fire or caused an explosion!

* * *

**(Jazz's POV)**

Nobot had found Clare even when we returned back to base over a groon later. The public comm was a mass of voices speaking rapidly back and forth, frantic clicks mimxing with frustrated growls. By now everybot on base was included in the search, even patrols had been put on temporary hold so that we could all look.

The twins and I immediately started looking around the living quarters. I checked our quarters for her but Bob was the only one present in the room. By now I was starting to get very worried. A sparkling could not cover that much ground so where could she have gotten to?

Upon stepping back into the hall the twins approached me from going to check their room. They hadn't found her either.

"Where the pit could a sparkling hide? We've checked almost the entire base already!"

"I dunno Sides. Dey ca' fit in almos' any'hing if dey wanna. Have we checked ven's yet?"

Both mechs grimaced at me. "No. The femmes and you are the only ones that can even remotely fit in them."

That was true. "Have we checked da supply rooms?"

"No not yet. We should do that next." Sunstreaker suggested.

"Righ' le's do dat."

Together the three of us made our way towards the supply room closest. I doubted that she could get in, in fact checking living quarters was stretching it. She could not open doors, nor did she remember the codes to get into anything.

My audios picked up something as we were passing Skids and Mudflaps' room.

"Tinkle tinkle widdle staw! How I woner wha' ou awe! Up above da wowld so 'igh! Like a diamon' in da sky! Tinkle tinkle widdle staw! How I wis' I was whew ou awe!"

Our peds screeched against the floor as we spun around and backtracked to where the sound of my sparkling singing resonated from. The door to the room was slightly open allowing us to clearly hear her from outside. Just listening to her singing eased my fears and anxiety.

**[We foun' 'er Prowler. She was insi'e Skids an' Mudflaps' room. Going ta get 'er no'!]**

**[I will call off the search before joining you there.]** Prowler's relieved voice responded, the distress weighing on the bond immediately lifting a considerable amount.

The twins and I crept into the Chevy twins room. My jaw dropped when I saw what Clare had been doing to entertain herself.

She had somehow gotten onto the berth where Skids and Mudflap were recharging, she dipped a paint brush into the pink can of paint sitting beside her and made a long stroke right on Mudflap's face.

Both were covered, absolutely covered in paint. For that matter so was she. It seemed that she had raided the dumbafts paint supply because cans were laying spilled all over the floor, and she was covered in all kinds of colors from white to black and everything in between.

"Da isy bi'sy spidew cwawled up da watew spou'! Down ca'e da wain n washed da spidew ou'! Ou' ca'e da sun n dwied up aww da wain n da is'y bi'sy spidew cwawled up da spou' gain!"

I couldn't help but to smile at her singing her silly little songs while she painted them in their recharge. "Sparklet wha' are ya doin'?"

She squeaked in surprise dropping her brush on her leg helm whipping around in my direction. "...I pain'in Sits n Mudace."

"Why?"

Her lips titled down into a small scowl. "Cuz dey gotted me sick!"

The twins and I laughed. Sparkling vengeance. "Ya 'avin fun wit' dat?"

She chirped happily. "Mmm hmm uh huh yea! I ma' em pink cuz I no like pink! Ma'e em ugwy pink!"

"Ya go' some pink on yo'rself too."

Her happy chirps turned into a horrified gasp when she looked down at the pink splotches on her front. "No pink! Ma'e Sits n Mudace ugwy pink! I no be ugwy pink! I wanna no' be ugwy pink!"

I approached the berth to pick her up. Paint smeared all over my chassis since it had not yet dried. Looks like a trip to the wash racks was in order. Then if I could get her to settle maybe a nap was in order, after a bottle.

Before leaving I took several still photos of Skids and Mudflap for later. The twins quickly did the same.

We slipped out of the room then and headed towards the wash racks.

Clare chirped in displeasure about her pink paint during the brief walk there. Her displeasure lifted when she realized where we had ended up. A string of excited trills left her as I filled her designated wash basin with warm solvent.

As soon as I put her in the basin she started splashing the liquid everywhere. Drops hit me, the floor, the twins, the walls while she giggled gleefully.

Cleaning her was quite the task with all of her squirming and splashing. She would unintentionally flail away from me in her excitement forcing me to pull her back so that I could reach certain areas.

Several times she tried to get out of the basin to crawl over to where the twins were washing themselves. They would grin when I grabbed her form up, each time she let out a displeased trill when I put her back in the basin.

After almost a breem all of the paint had been scrubbed off leaving her with her normal bright silver and blue finish. I pulled her out of the basin and dried her off with a towel.

**[Jazz where are you?]**

**[Clare was covered in pain' so ah took 'er to da wash racks ta clean 'er off. We jus' finished. Wait fo' us at da room.]**

**[Ok.]**

I stood and opened my chest plates to put her in my hold.

Just before I went to put her in my hold she held her arms out for the twins. I handed her over to them so that she could give them what she called, 'bye bye cuddles.'

She nuzzled each of their cheeks before kissing them. "Buh bye Sies n Sunny! We pay waiter ok? Be goo' so daddy don' put ou in da bwig. I wuv ou!"

Sides gave a goofy grin and kissed her little cheek back. "We will be good Clare." It looked like he wanted to say more but he bit his glossa to keep it in.

Sunny kissed her helm, a small smile on his lips as well, optics shining with a light that I had never seen before. He held her for another klik before handing her back to me.

They waved at her as I placed her in my hold. Then their gazes shifted to mine briefly, brighter than I had ever seen before. I held it for a few astroseconds before leaving the room.

I doubted that anybot besides the other had ever said those words and meant it, and Clare had meant it. She was very fond of them in any form though she seemed to not know what to say to them before. I often sensed her internal struggles to determine the full extent of what she was feeling. Sparkling Clare knew though, everything was straight forward.

It seemed that she had overcome some sort of barrier or boundary when she had uttered those words to them. Things would no doubt change when she changed back as well.

Now more than ever the thought of her changing back made my spark ache. If she could just stay like this I wouldn't have to let her mate so soon. I wouldn't have to hand her off to any mech. I would have _**time**_. Time to watch her grow, to carry her in my hold, time to help her through growing up.

But the truth was that I didn't have much time anymore. Come this time tomorrow she would be her old self. As happy as that thought made me...it saddened me as well.

I didn't want her to grow up.

Those thoughts plagued me even after I entered our quarters where Prowler was waiting on one of the chairs near my sound system. He had sensed my thoughts, the unease, and the reluctance. He understood. He always did, and he was always there to comfort me.

A servo beckoned me to come to him, it pulling me down to sit sideways in his lap once I was close enough. His arms wrapped around me protectively, feelings of comfort through the bond warming me.

**[There is no shame in wanting her to remain the way she is Jazz. Even I would not mind if the situation could stay like this for longer. But it is not our right to keep her like this when it was not a natural change. She will be our sparkling in any form, no matter what. Remember that.] **

**[I know Prowler. I know. But just because I know that doesn't mean that it makes everything ok. These last few days I got to experience something that I thought would never happen to me. I got to feed my sparkling from a bottle, I got to hold her when she was sick, I got to care for her when she wasn't able to care for herself. And no matter how much I know that she has to change back...the selfish part of me wants her to stay like this. It wants to keep her this way so that I don't have to watch her choose a mate...or mates. I don't want to hand her over to somebot else knowing that it's forever. I want to keep feeling her in my hold near my spark where she's safe...so that I don't ever have to watch her leave and return to her human family unit. For the first time in so long I really do want to just be selfish even if I know that I can't. It wouldn't be fair to her or the twins, or Sam and his family unit. They're a part of her as much as we are.] **

Prowler tilted my helm back so that his lips could find mine. Strong servos gripped the center of my back struts turning me so that our chassis were pressed tightly to one another's. My legs slipped on either side of his thighs allowing our sodpieces to scrape against one another's.

A jolt of pleasure shot through my abdomen causing me to groan softly, hips subconsciously bucking forward in an effort to seek the sensation out again. Servos slid down to grip my hips as a rough glossa pushed inside of my mouth. Mine tangled with his as I rocked slightly against his sodpiece. The pressure was becoming intense. It made us both growl.

**[Opi? Daddy? Wha' dat soun'?]**

Both of us immediately stilled upon hearing our sparkling's curious question. We had almost forgotten about her since she was being so still and silent. I had actually thought she had fallen into recharge.

**[Nothin baybay spark. Daddy an' ah were jus' talkin.]**

**[Ok. C'n I come ou' no'? I ungwee.]**

**[Of cou'se sparklet.] **Looks like interfacing would have to wait.

Prowler gave me an amused look when I moved to sit sideways in his lap again. He grabbed her bottle from subspace as I quickly retrieved Clare from my hold. She chirped in excitement when her optics landed on her energon.

My mate took her from me to feed her.

I leaned my helm on his shoulder and watched her suckle down her bottle. It would be one of the last times we would ever have to do this... My spark twisted painfully when that fact reared its face again.

But I understood that what would soon happen had to happen. Even if I still didn't want it to. Until then the three of us would spend every astrosecond between then and now together.

If only it didn't have to come so soon...

* * *

The next solar cycle came sooner than I wanted, along with a report from Wheeljack stating that his aging beam was ready to use.

We all stood around the hangar Clare in my arms, Prowler to my right, the twins to my left.

Jacky stood in front of us aligning the polarities of the device so that it would age her back to where she had been prior.

Last night she had recharged in my hold curled close to my spark...like she would never do again. All I could think about were all the things we would never do together, me feeding her, giving her a bath, recharging with her in my hold. None of it would ever happen again.

Those thoughts plagued me when Jacky turned and held out his servos for her. I didn't want to let her go. I didn't let her go until Prowler nudged me gently, and when I did it was with great reluctance.

We kissed her helm before he took her away from us to sit her on a table.

She chirped in question at Jacky when he pointed the aging beam at her.

"Sit still Clare. This won't hurt you I promise."

The sound of the gun reached my audios not even an astrosecond later.

One astrosecond passed...

Two astroseconds passed...

Three astroseconds...

Then the gun fired off a bright blue beam that collided with Clare's chassis. She squeaked in surprise as her frame was encompassed in a bright light for a second time, the force toppling her onto her back.

Giving us all a clear view of how her frame lengthened and distended into her normal size.

When it faded she was laying there just as she had been before Jacky's beam had hit her. Her systems were operating sluggishly and her optics were closed.

I was torn between being relieved that the aging beam had worked, and wallowing.

One thing that Prowler had told me rang true... She was still our sparkling no matter what. It was that thought that made this situation a little easier.

Ratchet decided to take her to the med bay to monitor her condition.

The twins, Prowler, and I followed along behind him.

Even if I was a little saddened about her turning back I still loved her, and I wanted to make sure that she was ok.

We'd stay in the med bay for a while, at least until Ratchet told us that she was well. Then life would go on like always...but I would never forget the feeling of carrying my sparkling in my hold.

Not ever.

* * *

**(Clare's POV FINALLY!)**

My helm was pounding when I came to. I heard a monitor beeping somewhere near me the sound telling me that I was in the med bay. But I had no idea why I would be here. In fact I was having a difficult time remembering what I was last doing.

The only thing that I could remember were two faces, one red, one gold. Sides and Sunny. After that things got blurry and indistinguishable no matter how hard I tried to recall. It was frustrating me.

I forced my optics to open squinting them against the bright white light. It made my helm pound like crazy.

"Sweetspark?"

I turned in the direction of the hopeful sounding voice. The flash of red made me wince. "Sides? What the pancake happened?"

It wasn't Sides who answered me. "You got hit with Wheeljack's aging beam baby. It turned you into a sparkling."

My helm whipped to the left where Sunny was standing. "What?! What do you mean I got turned into a sparkling?"

He plopped down on the berth next to my helm. "Exactly what I said. Wheeljack turned you into a sparkling for the last six earth days. It took him that long to make another aging beam that wouldn't blow up in his face."

Nothing that he was saying made any freaking sense! I got turned into a sparkling? Could that even happen? And oh Primus what if I did or said something embarrassing? Did they have to change my robo diapers? Oh probably not since Cybertronians didn't really use the bathroom. Once again I was pissed off due to the fact that in my human form I had to. So not fair.

"Ok so let me get this straight!" Taking a big breath to steady myself I continued on. "Jacky turned me into a sparkling for almost an entire week? During which you all had to take care of me?"

"Yes."

"Did I bite anybot or do anything else equally embarrassing?" Not that biting was really embarrassing... I'd totally bite the shit out of a twinkie person if they existed. Umm yeah random thought there. Blame it on the helm ache.

Both twins shared a strange look. "No you didn't bite anybot, but you did paint Skids and Mudflap pink because they got you sick."

"Really? I got sick?" No recollection of that came to mind which was probably a good thing. Who wanted to remember being sick? Not me. I didn't have memories of it? Well it still counted!

"Yup! The dumbafts removed your sync blocker, and you in your sparkling curiosity connected to the internet where you contracted a virus. Jazz got them back for that too."

"How?"

"He strung them upside down from the ceiling painted with little yellow flowers." Sides was grinning as he said it.

I busted out laughing despite the throbbing in my helm. The mental image of that was so freaking hilarious that I almost choked because I was laughing so hard. "P-Pic-ture-s? Pl-ease! Mu-st s-ee!"

"Of course we got pictures sweetspark! We'll show you later on." Sides sat on my other side and it was then that I realized Ratchet was absent from the room.

My attention was quickly diverted to the two mechs who laid down on either side of me. They scooted in close and wrapped their arms around me both nuzzling my helm with soft purrs. My own purr rose up in my chassis as I nuzzled them back. If I really had been turned into a sparkling then I was glad to be back as I was now.

"Where are opi and dad at?"

"They had reports to file, then Jazz had patrol."

Well I would see them later. For now I quickly found myself being pinned to the berth and kissed senseless. Like they were both all over me giving me no time to even breathe as they switched back and forth, glossas shoving their way into my mouth, servos wandering over my frame.

The room became so hot so fast. Everything felt so intense.

I had to force my helm the other way so that I could talk. "Did-did you guys miss me that much?" The question was barely out of my mouth before Sunny's mouth was back on mine again.

Sides took it upon himself to answer the question since Sunny was too busy shoving his glossa down my throat. "Yes of course we did. I do have to say that sparkling Clare was fragging adorable though. Maybe later we can show you some vid files that we took?"

"Mmmmphhhmmmm." I hummed rapidly losing the ability to speak with those sinful touches creeping down my frame. It was already making me tingle like crazy.

Heavy breathing filled the room, soft mewls and growls from the three of us bouncing off the walls.

One of their servos moved down between my legs causing me to snap out of the haze taking over. We were in the med bay after all. The last thing that I wanted was to have Ratchet come in and see what we were doing. "We should stop."

"Why?"

"Because Ratchet could come in and see...and he'll wrench you two for messing around in his med bay."

Sunny pulled away with a contemplating expression. "Well if we leave the med bay it won't be an issue."

I frowned at him. "No because then he'll be slagged off that you stole one of his patients. So as much as I don't mind the idea it's not going to happen." It only took me a moment to realize that I had inadvertantly issued a challenge to them with my words. Telling either of them that an idea they were entertaining was not going to happen was like telling Skids and Mudflap to grow a processor. Not a good idea.

"Is that a challenge?" Sunny smirked.

Oh shit...oh slag...oh poptarts! "Let me reword-" Whatever I was going to say cut off with a loud squeal when my golden afthole swept me up from the berth. I couldn't even get myself situated before they were out the door.

Too late I guess.

By the time we got to their room my spark was racing, cheeks were burning hot. I knew why they brought me back here, and it was to fool around. Seriously the first thing they want to do after I turn back is molest me? Did I just ask that question when I already knew the answer? The twins were horndogs.

They tossed me onto the berth, their forms clambering up after me. Heat rolled off of all of our frames making the room feel like it was well over a hundred degrees. Servos were on my chassis, thighs, abdomen, immediately creating friction causing the heat to keep growing.

I arched my back with a gasp when a firm pressure started up against my valve covering. One of them, I didn't know which, was firmly rubbing circles around my covering stimulating the nodes beneath. The beginnings of my frame sparking in pleasure only fueled their actions.

Whoever was rubbing my apex tugged at the plating there making me tilt my helm down at where a gold wrist was buried between each thigh. Sunny was looking down at me expectantly, waiting for an acknowledgement to either keep going or stop.

Sides leaned down to nibble at my neck cables while I mulled the situation over. I mewled softly hips leaving the berth as I unconsciously thrusted them upward. Sparks danced across my abdomen when his digits rubbed against me again. Before I even comprehended what had happened my valve covering popped off. Whether it was him taking it off or me opening it I had no freaking idea.

Nor did either of them give me any time to think about it.

Sunny suddenly grabbed me and rolled until I was sitting in his lap facing him, exposed valve pressed against his sodpiece, servos gripping my hips. He leaned down to kiss me at the same moment that he jerked my hips forward causing my external nodes and opening to slide over his sodpiece.

My mouth fell open with a gasp. Pleasure lanced through every sensory receptor. He repeated the motion several times, working me up until I started doing it all on my own.

I rocked against him repeatedly as we kissed heatedly. He would groan and I would gasp or mewl, both of us sparking together. Servos gripped my aft from behind, one sliding around to the front to rub at my nodes while I ground myself against Sunny. I arched harder with a near scream, every part of me nearly seizing violently.

All the sensations, grinding against Sunny, Sides rubbing my nodes and kissing my neck cables again; all of it was just too much for me. I felt myself reaching my peak. My breath coming out in pants and mewls everytime as my peak climbed faster and faster.

Plating shifted beneath me exposing Sunny's spike. It was more than surprising, almost to the point that I pulled away but when he made no move to put it in me I relaxed slightly.

The chords near the tip slid out to seek out my valve. I stiffened when they prodded at my unused external ports.

"Relax." He urged me. "This is just like what we did in your holoform. I'm only going to plug into your external ports, not penetrate you."

I nodded hesitantly and he connected them to my ports. There was a series of soft muted clicks when they connected, along with a slight pinching sensation. All of that was drowned out immediately when a wave of what felt like intense static hit me. I was not expecting what would happen, nor was I prepared for it.

A wave of what was almost like warm erotic static hit me making me cry out. It was almost like when my consciousness had first expanded when bonding to my creators, only it was on a completely sexual level. Every move we made against one another was intensified by at least ten fold by our connection.

Flashes went off behind my optics as I literally went limp.

Just when I thought that it was too much Sides lifted me so that he could slide his spike underneath me. His cables sought out the ports Sunny wasn't using and connected to them.

My hips started going wild instantly, this time actually did make me scream like I was being murdered. I couldn't even hear or see anything else past the roaring in my audios and the flashes going off in my optics.

Within a klik it all came crashing down on me in the form of a massive overload unlike anything I had ever felt. I arched, crying out as sparks shot out of every part of my frame, wetness gushing out of my valve opening.

My frame went limp from pleasure overload. They continued moving me for another few kliks until both stiffened and groaned as they overloaded. More warmth pooled between my thighs.

I lay slumped against Sunny panting tiredly, hardly paying any mind to either of them when they retracted their cables from my ports. It was slightly disconcerting to be connected to them, then not but it wasn't like we could stay like that forever.

They moved me onto my back allowing me to get a good look at the transfluid and lubricant coating my lower half. Both used cleaners and polish to clean all of us off, before popping our coverings back on and laying us all down together.

We were quiet for some time while I regained my breath. All of that had been completely unexpected. I had thought that maybe they would feel me up or use a digit to bring me to overload. Never did I think that they would put us all bare interface array to bare interface array, and forget the whole port syncing. That was completely mind numbing, though I did not regret it.

I was feeling lethargic and a little tired now that it was all over. "Did you guys miss me that much?"

"Did it feel like we missed you that much?"

I smacked Sunny's chassis. "Don't you get smart with me you giant perv!"

"You liked it, you always like it." He countered.

"I have to agree with Sunny sweetspark. As embarrassed as you always are you don't turn us away nearly as much as we expected you to. Then again we are gorgeous mechs so why would you want to?"

I rolled my optics playfully even though Sides was behind me and therefore unable to see it. "Oh Sides you make such a good point."

"I know I do." He stated smugly. Aft.

"I'm still not going to do anything that I'm not ready for, even if you are too gorgeous to deny as you put it."

They both cuddled closer with a chuckle. "We'd never ask you to, there's no honor in taking an unwilling femme."

"Honor Sides? Really? How about the fact that it's immorally wrong?"

"That too."

I giggled before turning to cuddle into his chassis. Sunny spooned up against me from behind so that I was completely caged between the two.

My spark suddenly fluttered and jumped, something it had not done before. As soon as the sensation came it was gone too fast to really contemplate it. So I shrugged it off as unimportant, or maybe it was just like the butterflies I sometimes got when I was with them. That seemed more believable. Yeah that was probably what it was.

I was too tired to question it more. My optics were feeling heavy, frame exhausted from everything that had happened.

My recharge protocols took over lulling me into unconsciousness.

The last thought that I had was of how warm and secure I felt being cuddled between the two, and that I could get used to going under like this.

Maybe one day I would be able to.

Maybe.

* * *

R&amp;R! It's a tiny bit shorter than it normally is but this one was really hard for me to write for some reason. Literally it took me like three or four days which is unusual for me! I do hope that you guys liked the Clare/Twins smut in there. I thought it was high time for some more. Now for some reviews!

**Sorana3**\- I think that Sunny would make a great creator too. You'll have to wait and see what I come up with later! As for the dresses maybe I should put them on my profile instead? That way everyone can check them out!

**Coolgal02**\- She is adorable! I may add the dress links to my profile so that people can look at them! If I do so then msg me with your favorites!

**HeartsGuardianSol**\- Well I have a hard time seeing Prowl as the pranking type so yeah... Rest assured the twins did get brigged because of their little stunt!

**himelove22**\- I love my take on sparkling Clare! Does that sound conceited? Anyways yeah they are lucky that Jazz didn't do more to them.

**leebee14**\- Everyone wants to beat the Chevy twins all of the time lol. Really they should have known better though.

**Muirgen79**\- Yeah and those two can be scary parents...*shudders* At least she doesn't remember having the flu though! Lucky jerk...

**CastielLunaWinchester**\- Not gonna lie if I was that age I probably wouldn't be able to say Optimus either. It's a trippy name. NP about the dresses though! I epically suck at fashion so yeah I feel you...

**DarkshadowXsunny-sides**\- Well he'd probably freak out majorly...it is Sam. And yes I love putting the twins into situations like that!


	26. Chapter 26

Big stuff going on in this chapter especially neaer the end! Look forward to it! It's also pretty long too! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! Oh and there is over 19,000 views for this story! Woo hoo! Just thought that I should throw it out there! Also I encourage you all to research anodines! I'm going to put a poll up for whether or not you want to see a story with a bot/anodine hybrid, or whether you want me to do the rewrite first! Check it out!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

OH MY FLIPPING SON OF A PANCAKE S.O.B! This game was fragging scarier than Kristen Stewart's popularity! Don't even ask me how that comparison was even remotely viable because it just was ok?

I literally only had like two more days to be on base so Sides, the lovable fragger decided that we were going to have a video game marathon today! So far we had played COD Advanced Warfare, Alien Isolation, Minecraft, The Evil Within, and now he had me playing Outlast.

And I just could not take this game! It was freaking terrifying on a level that I had never known from a video game before, besides Alien Isolation. Something about mental patients chasing me down naked just freaked me out even more though. Especially Chris the big military guy that ripped spines out! I could not tell if he was naked because it seemed like he had pants but I swear I could still see his blood stained ass! OH MY GOD IT WAS NASTY!

The twins were getting a massive amount of amusement out of watching me scream at every little scary part. I had already cried several times like the first time I saw the Walrider and he nearly made me want to piss myself! His little black ghostly aft was seriously freaking me out!

The controller was clutched tightly while I steered my character through the part of the game where you had to find the two levers to turn the overhead sprinklers on to put the fire in the cafeteria out. It was also a part where Chris kept chasing me. Luckily it had been a few kliks since I had last seen him.

"Ok...no fat pig looking things out here..." I muttered to myself as I peered around a corner to check if it was safe. There was nothing so I crept out from behind it heading towards the darker part of the room where several tables were.

A rattling sound reached my audios making me literally freeze with a whimper. "No...no!" I squeaked in terror. Please don't come after me! Please don't come after me! OH PRIMUS FRAGGIT DON'T COME AFTER ME!

I crept along the floor in a crouch, my spark racing with fear. Terrified optics shot around on the lookout for Chris. So far so good...but I could still hear the chains rattling.

"Screw this! Screw this! Screw this!" I froze when the familiar large hulking form stepped out in front of me. "OH FUCK ME SIDEWAYS! JUST GO EAT A FUCKING POPTART ALREADY YOU GINORMOUS PIG SKIN! OH FUCK HE LOOKED THIS WAY! HE LOOKED THIS WAY!" My tone bordered on hysteria at the end.

The twins were saying nothing while they watched me. Not comforting me, not offering any advice, nothing. Aftholes.

Thankfully he turned away from my character and walked the other way. "That's right go that way Brittany!"

"Brittany?" Sides snickered.

"Don't judge me cherrypop." I snapped irritably. "I gotta find this lever so I can get away from Brittany!"

There was a small gap between two shelving units at the end of a corridor that I slid through. "Fuck you Brittany! Fuck you! You can't get through here you window licker!" I flipped the screen off for no freaking reason before turning my character AKA Miles pusscakes to go in through the door right next to the shelves.

Bathtubs? Umm there were bathtubs all over the room but it didn't look like a bath-WTF!? "Is...is that guy bathing a naked body in blood?"

Sure enough there was a patient propped up on his knees next to a blood filled tub containing a mutilated body of another patient...and he was like feeling the body up like he was bathing it. All while he muttered things about how he had to make sure that he got him all clean or something like that.

"You-you need help. Seriously. Have you ever heard of Dr. Phil...or Dr. Drew? They can probably help you." With that I crept past him to enter the only other door in the room.

YES THERE WAS A FRAGGING LEVER IN HERE! A small whoop of triumph escaped me as I flipped the damn thing on! Only one more lever to go! "Take that Walrider! Take that!" Why I said that I have no idea...

"You really get into these games don't you?"

"What's the point in playing a video game if you can't get into it Sunny? Think of it like...when you paint and you get really into it. Well I get really into my games."

He snorted. "Games and art are nothing alike."

I snorted back while I moved my character Miles Pusscakes back into the room where Brittany was lurking around, but otherwise said nothing. Slowly making my way into the main room, I was once more brought to a stop when the sound of chains rattling reached my audios. "What the frag is this guy? Death from Persona 3?"

"Who?" Sides looked at me curiously.

Brittany appeared on screen before I could formulate a response. I screamed and ran like hell in the other direction. "NOOOOOOOOOOO! SCREW YOU BRITTANY! SCREW YOU! GET ANGER MANAGEMENT!"

Both twins laughed at my frantic scramble to find somewhere to hide. "It would probably help if you weren't trying to hide your face behind the controller." Sides pointed out.

"Shut up Sides! You just don't understand what this game is doing to me!"

"No I don't because I don't get scared of video games."

"Shut up!" I dipped into a locker. I swear that I was as freaking scared as my character was!

Brittany walked in front of my locker making my breath catch. My servos clutched at the controller harder anxiety spiking.

A sudden ping on my HUD actually made me jolt up on the couch so hard that I hit myself in the face with the controller. The force sent the controller flying into the side of Sides' helm with a resounding thwack.

"Dang it Mikeala!" I cursed when her name popped up. She had sent me a text message.

**:Hey Clare you wanna go out clubbing when you come back? I'm trying to get Sam to go too. Maybe Sides and Sunstreaker will want to come?:**

Clubbing? Did she remember how hard it was to get me to go to a school dance? Sometimes I was sure that she just didn't think things through.

**:You think that I would go clubbing? Don't you remember how the dance went?:**

**:Come on Clare! You've been on base for over a week now! I want to go do something fun before school starts up again! PLEASE?!:**

"Who are you talking to?" Sides asked.

"Mikeala..."

"What does she want?"

"She wants to go out clubbing when I come home."

"Clubbing?"

"Yeah it's when people go out to a club and dance, listen to music, drink if they're of age...stuff like that. She wants to drag Sam and I to one. I told her no but she's being persistent."

"Why don't you want to go? It sounds fun."

Sunny snorted. "Who would want to go to a club with a bunch of humans?"

"It's not because they're humans Sunny...I just don't really do things like that often. In fact I've never gone clubbing before."

"Never?"

Oh shit...the way Sides asked that made warning bells go off in my helm. Maybe if I didn't answer him whatever twisted idea he had would dissolve. Unlikely.

He leaned in until he was less than an inch from my face. "I'll take that silence as a yes."

"I'd rather you didn't take it any way at all."

His face split into one of his famous mischievous grins. One that meant absolutely nothing good for me. "So Mikeala wants you to go clubbing eh? Hmm it's been a long time since Sunny and I went out for something like that..." Oh Primus he had that glint in his optics.

"Wait there were clubs on Cybertron?"

"Of course there was! Bots went there to dance and drink high grade among other things. Sunny and I used to go often, well I had to drag him there but he got over it."

The mental images of Sides coaxing Sunny to dance invaded my processor. Damn even in my internal musings he looked slagged off. I almost burst out laughing just barely catching myself before I did. "Ok so this matters because...?"

"Because we can take you! It'll be fun!"

My energon ran cold. "No. No way. I told Mikeala no and I'm telling you no."

"Please sweetspark! Please! We have an off cycle tomorrow so we can go! Pretty please with cream and energon candy on top?"

Irritation lanced through me when, as soon as he said that my HUD pinged with another text from Mikeala, threatening to sic Sides and Sunny on me if I didn't willingly go. **:No. No. A thousand times no!:**

**:PLEASE! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!:**

While she was begging me Sides got down and hugged my midsection. "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!"

"Sunny I'm going to kick your brother's aft."

He snorted. "It would do you no good baby. Feel free if it will make you feel better though."

I huffed. "No Sides. No way. I am not dressing up in a slutty outfit or going out dancing. No."

He looked up at me with desperation. "PLEASE SWEETSPARK! I'LL DO ANYTHING THAT YOU ASK ME TO AS LONG AS YOU COME WITH US! PLEASE! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE!"

How long was he going to keep this up? Mikeala kept sending me texts too, that combined with Sides' constant begging was driving me up the wall! "You don't even know if Optimus will let you go off base for a night out Sides!" I reasoned. "You two are soldiers! What if he needs you for something important and he can't get a hold of you?"

"He might let us though!"

"And he might not! Look why can't we just do something together here? Do we have to go out dancing when Sunny and I don't even really like it?"

"If he says we can then yes!"

I mulled that over for a few astroseconds. Chances were that Optimus would say no even if it was their off cycle so the odds were in my favor. Then again there was always the chance that he would say yes because it was technically their time to do whatever they wanted... And with Mikeala hounding me, and having Sides' comm frequency, well if she recruited him then odds were against me.

"I'm gonna ask him!" Sides suddenly declared. "And you're coming with me!"

"Wha-?!" He swept me up too fast for me to protest.

That was how I found myself being toted to Optimus' office by my overgrown mechling of a mechfriend so that he could ask to go clubbing. Oh shit...this was not going to go well I could feel it.

Sides signaled once we were outside the door.

"Enter."

He strode in confidently.

Optimus looked up from his data pads when we walked in. "Sideswipe to what do I owe the visit?" He asked politely.

Sides got straight to the point. "Tomorrow Sunny and I have an off cycle and we wanted to know if we could take Clare out with Sam and Mikeala. She wasn't sure it would be ok with you so I came to ask."

"It is your off cycle to do with as you please. So long as you keep communications open so that you may be contacted with emergencies I do not mind."

SON OF A BUTTNUGGET! You had to say that didn't you Optmus? YOU HAD TO SAY YES DIDN'T YOU?! ARGH! NOW I WAS NEVER GOING TO GET OUT OF IT! NEVERRRRRRRRRR!

Sides gave me a smug look. "Ok. Well I guess we need to get things planned out don't we Clare?"

**:Screw you.:**

**:Only if you want me to.:**

**:SIDES!: **

I pouted the the entire way back to the twins room demeanor the complete opposite of Sides who was smiling smugly about his victory. It was so not fair that every time I did not want to do something Sides and Mikeala would team up on me to drag me into it.

"Oh stop pouting Clare it'll be fun!"

Sunny looked up when we entered the room again. "Sides got his way huh? He normally does."

I only pouted harder. "I don't want to go. You can't make me."

Sides copied my expression. "But sweetspark! I asked Optimus and he said that we could go! Why don't you want to go out places with us?"

I knew what he was trying to do, guilt trip me. Well it so was not going to work! "Sides that's not it and you know it! I just don't want to go out clubbing! The last thing I want is to see Sam try and dance when he's wasted and that's exactly what's going to happen! Mikeala will get us into a club that serves underage, then her first mission objective will be to get Sam drunk. I can so see him trying to strip naked and dancing to I'm Sexy and I know it!"

"I'm sexy and I know it?"

"It's a song! In fact back when I first met Sunny I dubbed it his song. You should listen to it sometime!"

"Do I want to know?" Sunny grumbled.

"No probably not. But that's beside the point! I am not going clubbing!"

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please?!"

"No!"

"Pretty please?!"

"Nononononononono!"

Sides sulked down into the couch giving me his absolute best pouting face. "Please sweetspark? I promise that if you don't like it we can leave as soon as you want to! Promise! We'll take you either home or somewhere else!"

"Sides..."

He scooted closer to me and pressed a puppy kiss on my lips. What I meant by that is that it was one of those super soft and sweet ones that were geared towards bribing somebot. It made my spark kick up with that strengthened fluttering sensation. "Sides..." I sighed dejectedly. When he looked like this I just couldn't say no to him...

"Please?"

"Fine. But I swear to Primus that if you don't hold to your promise I'm going to jam my ped up your aft."

Sides let out a whoop of excitement. "Message Mikeala back and tell her that we can go then!"

Pushy little monster! **:Today is your lucky day, Sides talked me into your crazy idea. But I have to approve of whatever outfit I wear! As in nothing too slutty!:**

**:Awesome! Alright I'll come by your place tomorrow afternoon so we can pick something out! We're going to go to Club LoL.: (Made that up)**

**:That one downtown that sells alcohol to minors? You're trying to get Sam drunk aren't you? Have you seen him sober? Do you really want to exacerbate that?: **

**:Yes. Well I have to do some work down in the garage so I'll text later ok?:**

**:Alright bye.:**

"I can't believe I let you idiots talk me into this."

"You let us talk you into it because you're a secret party animal."

"Not even close Sides...not even close. I like to have fun and act like an idiot sometimes but clubbing, parties, and dancing are not my things." I guess it really didn't matter now did it? Best to just relax and play some more scariest game ever for now AKA Outlast. "Hand me the controller Sides."

"You want to play more?"

"Yes. It'll help take my processor off of the fact that I agreed to go clubbing."

He shrugged and handed it to me. "It's not that bad sweet. We'll have fun if you just let loose and be your normal fun loving self."

"I'm always my normal fun loving self just ask Brittany."

Funny thing, now that I was frustrated the game wasn't quite as scary. It definitely was not as scary as the thought of picking out an outfit with Mikeala tomorrow. Now that was a terrifying thought.

What's the worst that could happen? What's the worst that could happen?

With Mikeala and Sides running this little show...

A lot could go wrong... Oh friggin hell.

* * *

No one was home when we arrived there the next day. I had contacted my Aunt and Uncle to let them know I was coming back so it surprised me that they weren't here. I wandered into the kitchen finding a note on the fridge.

_'Clare, your Uncle and I had to go see your Aunt Lynn. She's quite ill so we will be staying with her for a few days. Sam went out with Mikeala earlier, but he should be back by three. We left money on the hall table in case you needed it. Love Aunt Judy.'_

Ok so Aunt Judy's sister was sick that explained a lot. Well I guess all that I had to do until Mikeala and Sam got back was to hang out with Sides and Sunny.

They had gone upstairs to my room already with my stuff so I just made my way up there after grabbing some sodas out of the fridge, and letting the dogs out to use the bathroom quick.

Frankie and Mojo followed me up the stairs to my room after I let them back in. The twins looked up when we came in, both were seated on my bed doing nothing. Mojo who had grown quite attached to Sides jumped up on the bed to beg for a petting that Sides was happy to give.

I had to heft Frankie up since he was too fat to jump. He plopped down on my lap as soon as I sat down prompting me to pet him gently. "Want one Sides?" I offered him a can of Root Beer.

"Sure."

We sat there quietly, occasionally chatting with one another while the dogs meandered around on the bed pestering Sunny, and begging for pets from us. It was funny to see Sunny's reaction to Mojo when he put his paws on his lap and let his tongue loll out of his mouth. He just stared at him like he was an extremely deadly alien organism, or the drool more specifically was a deadly alien organism.

A drop had landed on his pants making him practically squeal like a girl about how nasty organic creatures were. I had to remind him that he was fully capable of producing wet stuff from his mouth in real form or holoform. That still didn't make him shut up so I had taken pity on him and taken Mojo away.

Because I wanted to shove him into one of those weird little outfits that Aunt Judy had gotten for them! She had bought each of them several outfits for Christmas, one that I had picked out for each of them.

It only took me a few kliks to dress both up in their little Nyan Cat outfits. They did not look happy about it, Mojo almost had another seizure as he attempted to bite it off.

Sides and Sunny laughed upon seeing what I had dressed them in. And Frankie? He just laid on my lap unconcerned about the costume he was wearing. Lazy little monster. He perked up after Mojo rolled himself off the bed, jumping off the bed to chase after him. They ran out of the room and down the stairs leaving us alone.

Before the sounds of their pattering feet had even completely faded Sides pounced on me taking me down to the mattress. He was propped up over me with his knees on either side of my hips his grinning face inches from mine.

His head dipped down lips capturing mine, shaggy red strands of hair tickling my face. He lowered himself down until our bodies were pressed together completely my thighs shifting to accomadate him.

The kiss was slow and gentle, unhurried, not lustful. He was just showing me affection not trying to work me up into some frenzy like normal. I felt him smack his lips against mine several times playfully making me laugh.

And then his fingers drifted down to my sides in a fluttering caress. This time I did break away as a laugh bubbled in my chest. My entire body arched bucking up to try to dislodge him. "Sides stop it!"

"Nope."

I tried to grab his hands but he had me pinned underneath him. "Sunny help me!"

Before Sunny could even think about moving Sides moved down to my stomach, lifted my shirt, and started blowing raspberries against my skin. I squealed and smacked at his head laughing so hard that I was afraid that I might snort. "SIDES! STOP IT!"

And then I did go and laugh so hard that I snorted. Sides immediately stopped blowing on my stomach to look up at me curiously. I blushed and buried my face in the pillows with a pitiful moan. Why had I just done that?!

"Did you just snort?"

I didn't answer him because of my embarrassment.

Unfortunately this was Sides that I was dealing with and when I refused to answer him he started blowing on my stomach again.

Fearing that I would lose it again I relented and answered in a meek voice. "Yes I did."

He stopped blowing raspberries and grinned up at me. "Awww Clare snorts when she laughs!"

"Sides...stop! It's embarrassing!" I hated when I snorted! Seriously I could say the most embarrassing things possible and be perfectly ok with it! But all I had to do was snort once and it was all over. The sound was...argh! I hated it!

"It was cute."

"It is not cute when I snort!"

"Yes it was. You kind of sounded like Frankie when he snorts."

Was that supposed to make me feel better? Wait was that his actual attempt to make me feel better? What was I supposed to say? _'Thanks for comparing the sound I just made to the sounds my little boston terrier makes?' _

Sunny smacked his forehead tiredly. "Sides I don't think that helped."

"Why not?"

"Because you're an idiot."

"Am I an idiot because I just am or because I thought she sounded cute?"

Sunny opened his mouth only to freeze as he processed the question. He seemed to realize something because he glared at Sides. "The first one!"

Sides lunged at Sunny tackling him off the bed. "I AM NOT AN IDIOT!"

Sunny roared in response as the two started a full out wrestling match in my room bumping into shit and knocking things over. I was content to just lay there and watch so long as it prevented attention from being drawn back to me. It was pretty amusing to watch them, especially since Sides had gotten into watching WWE so he kept trying to copy the moves.

With a war cry Sides suddenly tried to spear Sunny only to miss when his twin dodged at the last astrosecond. Instead he planted himself head first into the wall...like he smashed a hole in it with his head.

I gasped in outrage but he paid no mind as he pulled himself out like he hadn't just gone through a couple inches of plaster. Neither of them seemed to care that he had just wrecked my wall either. Me? I was pissed! I was so going to get grounded for this! And what was worse was that he had damaged my mural!

They kept roaring at each other and wrestling anyways.

I got up from my bed to approach the damaged wall at the same time that Sunny got Sides in a headlock and punched him on top of the head repeatedly.

The same head that had just bashed a huge hole in my freaking wall! It was even bigger than his head! My eye twitched when I looked at it up close. Ok I could fix it with some plaster! All I had to do was go out in the garage and get it! Easy ri-!

**CRASH!**

"Oh frag..."

Oh no what did they do now? I slowly turned towards where they were standing next to the remains of my desk...where one of them had obviously either been thrown or tackled onto hard enough to make the legs snap. They were staring at me wide eyed and sheepish.

"Ummm sorry?"

My jaw dropped as the beginnings of a temper tantrum started up...like one of those times when Sam ate my candy without asking me. Body acting on autopilot I shot to my feet with an enraged growl. "You-you! You just punched a hole in the wall with your head and now you shock an awe on my desk?!"

"I'm sorry sweetspark."

I had to forcibly calm myself down. "It was an accident. It's ok, I just need to go out to the garage and get the plaster."

"I'll do it." Sides offered.

"No no it's ok. It'll only take a klik to fix the wall. If you want to help you can start by cleaning up the wood splinters on the floor so that Frankie and Mojo don't choke to death on them."

If possible Sides looked even more dejected when I said that.

On my way past them I stopped to wrap both in a hug. "It's just a wall Sides. From now on be careful in my family unit's home though ok? Can you do that for me?"

He nodded.

"Good." I kissed them both gently on the lips before pulling away. "Now I'm gonna go get the plaster so I can fix the wall. Clean the wood up and put it in a trash bag ok? After that I'll vacuum it up, until then I need you to make sure the dogs don't come in here."

They nodded and moved to clean the wood up.

Satisfied that they were not going to break anything else I left to go get the plaster, closing my bedroom door on the way out as a precaution in case the dogs came back upstairs.

When I got out to the garage I felt my eye twitch again when the shelves contained no plaster. None. My irritation spiked all over again from where it had cooled down.

"Ok no reason to get angry...just go inside...eat some mint chocolate chip ice cream...and call Sam to ask him to bring some plaster home." I chanted to myself as I made my way inside the house. It calmed me down a bit.

"Clare where are the trash bags?" Sides called as he came down the stairs.

I paused in opening the freezer to answer him. "In the drawer right here." I got one out for him.

He walked in to grab it.

But I hardly paid it any mind when I pulled the carton of ice cream out of the fridge...only to freeze at how empty it felt. I put it on the counter and pried the top off feeling a swell of rage envelop me when it was in fact empty. Sam...

Sides paused beside me trash bag in hand. "Sweetspark? You just twitched funny."

Did I? DID I?! My hand clutching the ice cream scoop tightened until an audible sound of metal groaning permeated in the room. The sound set me off completely. Rearing away from the counter I flung the empty container across the room with an enraged shriek. Then while Sides started trying to talk me down I took the ice cream scooper and just snapped it in half like a twig.

"ARGHHH! WHO PUTS THE ICE CREAM CONTAINER BACK IN THE FREEZER WHEN IT'S EMPTY?!" I screamed so loud that the walls shook.

Sunny came racing into the kitchen at the same time that I went on a full out rampage that consisted of me tearing through the cupboards in a mad frenzy. Everything that I touched was flung out across the floor as I cursed Sam's name to the seventh pit of hell where Megatron was probably rotting right now!

Boxes, cans, packets of food, all of it went onto the floor sending the dogs and mechs fleeing to avoid being hit.

"IT'S CALLED A TRASHCAN USE IT! THROW THE TRASH IN THE CAN! OH MY FUCKING GOD IT'S NOT THAT HARD! WE COULD AVOID THIS ICE CREAM DISAPPOINTMENT IF SAM COULD JUST USE THE TRASHCAN!" I raged.

"Clare!"

"NO! NO! FIRST THERE'S NO PLASTER TO FIX THE WALL! NOW THERE'S NO ICE CREAM! NOOOO ICE CREAM! DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG IT'S BEEN SINCE I HAD ICE CREAM?! OVER A WEEK AND A HALF! AND NOW THERE'S NONE! NONE AND THE CARTON WAS STILL IN THE FREEZER! AHHHHHHHHHH!"

Candy! I needed candy! Candy or ice cream! NOW!

THERE WAS NO FRAGGING CANDY ONLY WRAPPERS! THE BAGS WERE FULL OF WRAPPERS IN EVERY DRAWER!

My rage only swelled to breaking point when I realized that Sam had eaten all of the ice cream and candy. All of it. Upon this realization I just started ripping the drawers out and throwing them onto the floor. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU SAM! I'M GOING TO SHOW YOU HOW TO USE A TRASHCAN AND THEN I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

Arms suddenly wrestled me away from the counter, another set grabbed onto my flailing legs to keep them from hitting anything or anybot.

"Sweetspark calm down!"

Another enraged shriek bubbled up in my chest.

"Clare? What did you do to the kitchen?"

Everything literally stopped. Sunny pulled me down into his lap as soon as my struggling died down. I could see Sam standing in the doorway with Mikeala. Or more specifically I saw the grocery bags in his arms...and even more specifically the ice cream carton on top.

My eyes locked on it. "ICE CREAM!" Somehow I managed to get over to the ice cream. Don't ask me how. I grabbed the carton, ran over to a drawer, grabbed a spoon, popped the top off, and started shoveling it into my mouth.

Not one of them spoke.

It was neopolitan ice cream but I didn't even care! I just started crying as I ate it.

Sam sighed looking back and forth between my stunned mechs who were watching me with wide eyes. "Some advice to help you out in the future...Clare loves sweets and when she doesn't have them she becomes destructive. Especially when she's stressed out and she can't find any...then you better watch out. Likewise if you need a way to calm her down give her candy or ice cream."

Both nodded dumbly.

"Ice cream...the wall is broken and there's no plaster!" I sobbed.

"Ummm..." Sam held up a container of plaster... "Dad used the last of it so I had to get more."

I only cried harder and clutched the carton to my chest as I ate it far too fast to be healthy.

"What do we do about the kitchen?" Mikeala asked.

"When she's done she'll clean it up, she always does." Sam shrugged.

"But Sam we have to go pick out our outfits and stuff!" Mikeala huffed. "How about this? If you clean it up I'll reward you later?"

I nearly gagged at the implications. "EWWWW!"

Sam being the male that he was agreed to clean the kitchen for me. I did not want to know what her rewards so far had been...

"We have to get ready come on Clare!"

"Ice cream."

"You can eat more later." She took it out of my hands and stuffed it back in the freezer. "Come on I brought some of my clothes just in case you didn't have anything...like club worthy."

I was tugged out of the room past Sam, Sides, and Sunny, the latter of who was grimacing at the mess. "This could have all been avoided if you would only learn how to throw empty containers and wrappers into the trashcan."

Mikeala ushered me upstairs before he could respond.

Hey at least I was feeling better with a belly full of ice cream! Yay ice cream! Boo for dressing up all nice and stuff! BOO!

* * *

Ok seriously it took Mikeala over three hours to decide what to wear! And she had to approve of what I was wearing as well. So now both of us were decked out in outfits that I would not ever be caught wearing normally, makeup, with our hair styled.

Mikeala was wearing short light wash jean shorts, a black skin tight belly shirt tank top, with a black leather jacket on over it, her feet were wrapped in black pumps. Her hair was loose and curled, and her face was done up with the smokey eyes look.

Me? She had somehow forced me into a knee length dark silver almost black off the shoulder dress that hugged my curves until it flared out slightly at my hips, yet somehow still hugged them. On my feet were black high heeled boots. My hair was twisted up into a neat braided bun with my bangs side framing my face to the right as usual. My makeup was almost identical to her's only she had dark navy liner on me instead of regular black.

I did not want to wear a dress! Anybot would be able to see my black lace underwear if I even bent over a little bit! And she had me wearing a strapless bra! Strapless! Are you fragging kidding me?!

She noticed my expression and scowled. "You are wearing that."

"But what if someone sees my ass?"

"The only people you have to worry about seeing your ass are Sides and Sunstreaker. By the way before we go downstairs I have to ask how things are going with them? Have you made any progress in terms of fooling around?"

"Mikeala! Don't ask me that!" I blushed horribly.

She gasped. "You have! I want to hear what happened!"

"No way! Let's just go already!" Anything to avoid having this conversation! I left her there when she started trying to badger me to tell her more.

"At least tell me if you've given them a BJ!"

I almost tripped over my own feet. "WHAT?! NO!"

She raised a brow at me. "No? You really haven't tried that yet?"

"NO! Why are we even having this conversation in the first place?!"

"Because we're best friends and BF's talk about things like this."

She had me there...and well if I could talk to anyone about things like this it would be Mikeala. I mean she had experience that she could use to advise me on certain things. "No I haven't done that yet. We've really only like done some heavy petting, making out, and well the other day we ummm...well I let them rub their spikes over my...umm yeah. But other than that nothing else has happened."

"Well you are still a virgin so I guess that after three months it's not surprising that you still haven't done more. It took me a little longer to do much too. Work into it at your own pace but don't be afraid to explore and try new things. Your fear and inexperience will hold you back but the more you try the less it will bother you, and the more you'll enjoy what you're doing."

"Ok. Thanks Mikeala."

"No problem now let's go downstairs." She took my hand and led me down the stairs into the living room. The twins were sitting with Sam on the couch when we walked in, Sides strategically placed between Sam and Sunny. "Hello!"

Sam jolted first when Mikeala called out from the bottom of the stairs, then my mechs slowly turned towards us as well. Jaws literally dropped. All of them. Seriously.

When their eyes landed on me it made me want to hide behind Mikeala. They approached before I could, Mikeala giving me a shove before she went over to where Sam was standing.

The three of us just kind of stared at each other for a few moments, during which I took in what they were wearing. As usual they were wearing tops that matched the color of their paint and hair, only they were muscle shirts that exposed every rippling muscle on their bodies. Both were wearing black vans, and dark wash jeans. Oh shit...they even had their hair done up messier than usual...like sex hair but not quite that messy.

"You look hot." Sides and I said simultaneously.

I stammered momentarily. Luckily Mikeala ushered us along before it could get too embarrassing.

"We have to go if we want to get a good place in the line." She rushed us all outside and into the respective alt modes.

I ended up in Sunny's alt for the fifteen klik drive to the club. "So umm does Bee get to come inside too or is he staying on guard outside?"

Sunny grunted. "I think that he's coming inside too. Flareup, Hound, and Chromia are running patrol now so it's relatively safe. If anything comes up comms channels are left open in case one of them needs to contact us."

"Oh."

"Why?"

"I just thought it might get boring for Bee to have to take Sam all over the place. He doesn't seem to be able to revert to his real form, or even use his holoform very often. I know that it probably bothers him."

"We're pretty comfortable either way actually. It's nice to be able to take our real forms for many reasons, but we're just as accustomed to our alt modes." He reached across the center console to take my hand in his. "I guess this one's not so bad either."

My spark warmed. I leaned my head on his shoulder for the rest of the drive to Club LoL.

When we got there the base could be heard from several blocks away. Lights were flashing in every color imaginable from inside, and a line of people were standing outside. We stepped into the throng of people to wait to get in. Bee came up to us wearing a yellow t-shirt with black stripes, and some black jeans and sneakers.

"Hi Clare!"

"Hi Bee."

"Did you enjoy your stay on base?" He asked as he sidled up beside Sunny, Sides, and I.

"Yeah. Well a lot of it I don't even remember because Jacky turned me into a sparkling."

His baby blue eyes nearly bugged out of his head. "What?"

"He turned me into a sparkling. I spent almost a week like that."

"I bet Jazz and Prowl enjoyed it though."

"Yeah. I think opi's a little bummed out that I got turned back. He keeps thinking about me riding around in his hold. I wish I could just mass shift until I was small enough so that I could ride in there again, if only to make him feel better."

"What's a sparkling?" Sam butted in.

"A baby Cybertronian." Bee answered him.

Now it was Sam's turn to have his eyes bug out. "He turned you into a baby?!" He yelped.

"Yup. But maybe this isn't the best place to have this conversation?" Especially around a scrap ton of people who could hear us.

Taking the hint we all changed to various other topics until we were allowed inside the club. That was an experience to go through since the bouncers wanted to flirt with Mikeala and I. A swift powerful glare from my mechs had scared the two men enough to stop flirting with me.

We got in right after that, finding a table in one of the corners large enough for all of us to sit at. Mikeala left to get some drinks, AKA to start her mission to get Sam drunk. The rest of us sat around chatting with one another until she returned. She handed me a cup of Dr. Pepper, Sam she handed something that was definitely alcoholic if the way he gagged was any indication.

Sides and I snickered at his reaction. "Sam's never gotten drunk before?"

"No."

He hummed thoughtfully. "Think he'd be slagged off if I took vid files to embarrass him with later?"

"Yes. Do I care enough to tell you not to? No. Would I like to see embarrassing footage of him drunk later? Yes."

"You got it sweet. Until then do you wanna try dancing?"

"Do I have a choice?"

"No."

I sighed. "Lead the way."

"Coming Sunny?"

Sunny rolled his eyes before getting up. Together the three of us made our way into the throng of swaying bodies.

The Business by Yung Berg Ft. Casha was playing.

For a few moments Sides and Sunny tried to figure out the beat of the song, while I stood there nervously. It wasn't that I was bad at dancing but it was more like I didn't like others watching me. I was actually not bad at it when I was alone in my room dancing to whatever was on my stereo. In front of others I tended to get so nervous that I tripped over my own feet.

I was actually pretty good at dancing to this song though! My body started subconsciously swaying to the beat. When I noticed I almost came screeching to a stop, instead I forced myself to actually start moving my body to the beat faster.

Both mechs stared at me in surprise making me smile nervously.

Mikeala dragged Sam into the circle we had made before either of them could move towards me. "Oooh Clare I thought you said you couldn't dance!"

"I can't really. Not well anyways."

She winked flirtatiously at Sam and approached me to dance with me. "You could have fooled me! Well since our idiot males are gaping too much to dance right now we should dance together!"

All I could do was blink as she circled me, swirling her hips in time to the beat, body brushing against mine suggestively. I had two options: Die of embarrassment, or say to hell with it and dance before I let myself die of embarrassment. For obvious reasons I chose to go with the latter.

I could tell that it surprised not only her but the twins when I turned and picked up the pace of my swaying, twirling, and gyrating. The two of us danced around one another, touching occasionally, dancing front to front or back to back. Taking it down to the floor then bringing it back up together. We kept it strictly teasing though since we weren't into that. It still seemed to achieve what it was meant to, and that was to make our dates drool.

None of them seemed to want to move to interrupt us. We danced through The Business, Lay it Down, and Locked out of Heaven before I even realized it. It was actually more fun than I thought it would be! My embarrassment ebbed away quickly.

Mikeala left my side to go over to Sam after Locked out of Heaven was over. The twins approached me instead of me having to go to them caging me in from the front and back as Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars blasted from the overhead speakers.

The light up dance floor vibrated with the bass booming from the speakers. Each twin grinned at me as they started moving not only themselves but me to the beat. Our bodies were pressed flush against each other, me in the middle sandwiched between them. It did not hinder my movements in the least.

They grabbed at my hips, ass, and back as we surged through the song, then straight into Rolling In The Deep by Aretha Franklin. Sunny who had been behind me spun me around so that we were chest to chest leaving Sides to plaster himself to my back.

Sweat started coating my skin in a thin sheen reflecting the strobe lights above us. We moved our hips in sync to the beat like they were glued together. I leaned up on my tiptoes so that my mouth was right next to his ear. "What happened to not knowing how to dance?"

A hot gust of air ghosted against my ear. "I said that I didn't know how humans danced not that I couldn't. I'm good at everything when I want to be." His tongue flicked over the shell of my ear teasingly.

Sides squeezed my ass at the same time making me moan softly. "No fair."

"All is fair in love and war sweetspark."

"Oh really?"

"Mmmm hmmmm."

"Well then I guess I better play the game the right way huh?" In a flash I spun out of their arms leaving them standing there dumbfounded. With a laugh I made my way back over to the table where Sam, Mikeala, and Bee were sitting.

"Not fair sweetspark." The pout was literally audible in Sides' voice.

"All is fair in love and war loverboy." I mocked.

We sat down at the table. "So how drunk is he?" I asked when I noticed Sam swaying in his seat with a flush to his cheeks.

"Well...he's had three Heaven Sents, and a couple apple pie shots. So he's pretty fucked up. Isn't he cute when he's drunk?"

No not really, in fact he looked like he was going to barf.

"H-hey Mike...when-when do I get my reward?" Sam slurred before grabbing Mikeala's breast.

"Sam!" She slapped his hand off. "Keep that up and you don't get it! And my name's not Mike!"

"But Mikelana you promised to-to give meeee somethin nice if I cleaned up the kit-chen. Now let me feel ur boobs." This time he grabbed both and squeezed them.

"Oh my god..." I moaned in embarrassment. "Sam stop molesting Mikeala!"

"C-can I-molest someone else then?" He slurred.

"NO!" Mikeala and I yelled.

"God Mikeala I told you this was going to happen!"

"I didn't know he was going to turn into a pervert! Sam stop!" She slapped his hands away again.

"If I'm not llowed ta use my hands...den can I use my mouth?" As soon as he finished asking he tried to actually go at her boob with his mouth.

"SAM!"

"This is entertaining." Sides mused with a grin. "It's almost worth having to stop feeling you up on the dance floor."

Now it was my turn to smack Sides on the back of the head. "Sides do not exacerbate his pervertedness! You're bad enough as it is! Bee please help Mikeala get Sam off of her boob he's trying to suck on it."

"Ok." Bee grabbed Sam by the collar of his shirt.

"HEY! I WAS SUCKING ON THAT!"

OH MY GOD! "Sam we are in public! Get a grip on yourself!"

"Pffft grip smip! Suckin boobs is where it's at!"

I smacked myself in the forehead. You had to get him drunk Mikeala...you had to get him drunk! Poor Bee had to supervise him too! How much fun was that?

I was almost tempted to have Sunny and Sides watch him so that I could take Bee out for a song. Somehow I got the very distinct feeling that they would get jealous over something like that.

Screw it! Bee was my friend and I was going to make sure that he had some fun at least! The twins could be mad at me later! I stood from the table. "Bee let's go out on the floor for a few songs. Mikeala and the twins can watch Sam for a few."

The twins both looked at me like I was crazy.

"Just for a few songs! It's not fair to make Bee act as the babysitter for Sam all night." I placated them.

Both scowled like spoiled little children.

"We're just going to dance as friends. I just want to make sure that he has some fun ok?"

"No grinding or touching." Sides grumbled.

"If he gets closer than six inches I'm going to kick his aft." Sunny added.

I rolled my eyes. "Jealous much? We're not going to do anything innapropriate but there may be some casual touching since ya know we are dancing!"

Sunny suddenly stood and stormed off towards the back of the club.

I followed after him. "Sunny wait!"

He kept going thrusting open the back doors in his haste to get out.

I caught him right outside the door and spun him around. "Sunny what is wrong with you?"

His breathing was harsh, eyes were bright with his fury. "I don't want him touching you!"

"Sunny it isn't going to be like that and you know it! I don't have those kind of feelings for Bee! We're just friends."

"I don't care!"

Sides came out at that moment. "He's just being possessive Clare."

"I know...I know that but..." But I love him...them. I loved them. It took him looking at me with hurt and anger in those expressive blue eyes to make me see that for real. All this time I had been dancing around it when I should have just accepted it. If he knew what I felt would he know that there was no reason to be so jealous? Would he be ok with me wanting to be around other unbonded mechs?

My spark suddenly did that strange intense fluttering again. Was that my sparks way of making me realize what I felt? "If I told you that...that I..." I gulped hard on the words stuck in my throat. Everything in me was urging me to say those words so why was it so hard?

He tried to get me to let go of him. That hurt me so much more than any words ever had.

"If I told you that I love you would you understand that I don't want anyone else the way I want you?" I finally got out.

Both of them froze completely even down to their breathing. The air became heavy with some sort of electricity or tension. It was like something was inhaling all the air making it hard to breathe. Hard to blink or think, or even to feel.

A million thoughts were running through my mind. First and foremost being possible rejection. Would they break my spark by admitting that they did not feel the same way, that it was only affection and not love? Was that even putting it lightly? People say that when you say this for the first time you don't know what to feel. You want to think the best yet your mind can only conjure up the worst case scenario. You make yourself vulnerable to be torn apart in the worst way possible, and just one moment of silence can make you feel like something is stabbing you in the heart...or in my case my spark.

Neither said anything...for one klik, then two, then three, four, five... I sank lower and lower into the beginnings of despair and sparkbreak. Until I drew away from him, turned, and walked back towards the club. My spark felt like it was cracking down the middle. It wasn't the first time...but it hurt the worst.

A hand suddenly spun me around so fast that I almost fell. I gasped, spark jumping in my chest as my eyes fell on the twins literally right in my face. Both pulled me forward into their chests in a tight three way hug.

They just held me like that for what felt like forever. Then...

"Do you mean it?"

I looked up at both of them, twin sets of eyes full of hope. "If I didn't mean it I wouldn't have said it. I'm sorry it took me so long to realize it, that I kept fighting it. But I love you both."

Identical beaming smiles broke out across their faces. They both swept me into hot fiery kisses, one after the other, over and over again.

"We love you too sweetspark."

Tears filled my eyes. "Really? You aren't just saying that because I did? Cause if you are I'm going to recruit Chromia and Ironhide to help me kick your afts." I choked out.

"If we didn't love you I wouldn't have said that."

I pulled them into another kiss.

My spark beat frantically in my chest.

And all I could think...all that mattered...

Was that they loved me. They said they loved me and I believed them. I believed and I felt the same way.

Being in love felt wonderful. I never wanted it to stop.

Not ever.

* * *

R&amp;R! I hope you guys liked the end! I know that I dragged it out but hinted at it constantly but here is the big confession! Hopefully you guys liked it! There were so many moods in this chapter, happy, irritated, goofy, enraged, frustrated, jealous, nervous, embarrassment, and all that good stuff! I personally am very happy with this one! The songs are from the top club playlist for 2015! Check them out if you want!


	27. Chapter 27

I as going to wait to update for another few days but I decided to do it early! There's going to be a few time skips, some small, and a more substantial one coming up soon. Second movie is coming, then I have some ideas for how I want to re-do the third movie! Anyways enough rambling! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! Some heavier Limeade in this one! You have been warned! It's actually probably more bordering on lemon but without actual sex... Anyways it happens after the last line break if you want to avoid it!

* * *

**(Clare's POV) **

My chassis was heaving from sparring with Chromia for the better part of three hours. I was doing well, better than I had been a few months ago but she was still pushing hard. We circled each other looking for any openings to attack.

She told me early on that as a smaller bot I had to be adept at watching, and dodging. Watch before the other bot attacks, during the attack, and after the attack to see if I could pick out individual mannerisms in the attack patterns, Bots were very much like humans in that certain relays were favored over others on a subconscious level, and no amount of training could completely eliminate the signs of that. So she taught me to watch, watch, and keep watching.

And slowly but surely I was able to start making out her mannerisms. But I also knew that she had much more training in dulling her habits down than I did, and she was watching me closely as well.

_**'Use the mannerisms you see to depict attack patterns, this will allow you to better predict attacks allowing you to dodge them with much more precision and speed.' **_

As she shifted into a familiar sweeping kick, the telltale movement of her right thigh gave her away. She rushed me sweeping low like I expected her to, I leapt up over the attack and delivered a quick firm kick to her midsection.

Before I would never have been fast enough or strong enough to even hit or damage her, this time my attack landed with enough force to push her back. I stayed focused as I rushed after her to take advantage of her slight stumbling with my own low sweeping kick.

It was never that easy though and she saw me coming quick enough to dodge out of the way to the side.

Sometimes sparring could get frustrating when I constantly got my aft kicked, yet I could not do nearly as much damage to my sparring partner. Arcee had told me never to fight in anger or out of frustration because it could easily lead to mistakes. I had to keep telling myself that over and over again.

We clashed repeatedly, kick, block, parry, punch, block, kick. For at least another hour we did this series of steps. It was getting easier, but in the end Chromia feinted left and took my peds out from under me ending the spar.

My spark pulsed with frustrated resignation. I lost again.

Mia helped me up from the floor. "You have been doing much better in sparring lately." She praised me.

"Tell that to my aft cause it keeps getting kicked." I muttered.

She laughed. "Well you have only been training for a few months, while I have been fighting for thousands of years."

Well when she put it like that...I already knew that! It didn't make losing constantly any less frustrating, it just made it somewhat easier to accept it. There were many reasons that I lost, inexperience being the main one. Still...

"I've been thinking about speaking to Jazz in regards to getting you your symbol."

My helm perked up so fast that I almost got whiplash. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yes I have. Your basic training will be over by the time you finish school, and from there you will need to gain experience in the field. It would only be proper that you wear your Faction's symbol yes?"

My spark picked up speed in excitement. I couldn't speak! All I could do was nod excitedly. I wanted to wear the Autobot symbol!

"I will have to make a note to speak to Optimus and your creators then. Until then we will continue training. I have spoken to Jazz already about giving you some more personalized training. You are more formatted for sneaking, infiltration, and sabotage making Jazz the perfect teacher for you. We will continue our regular training here even after you start with him."

I bounced in my peds excitedly. "Ok!" I chirped.

"Go on then. I will see you at our next designated training time."

"Ok bye Mia!"

Sides and Sunny were just making their way to the training room when I came racing out of it. I raced up to them, Sides stooping down to catch me in his arms once I was close enough. The three of us greeted each other with a series of quick kisses that made my spark flutter all over again.

"What has you so excited?" Sides rumbled playfully.

It wasn't me that answered him.

"Baybay spark is jus' happy dat soon she gets ta star' trainin wit' meh! Den afta she graduates from school Mia wan's ta give 'er Autobot symbol to 'er."

"Opi!"

"Sparklet!" He shouted with just as much enthusiasm holding his arms out wide in invitation. I leapt into them and he spun me around playfully before kissing my cheek. "Ya get ta train wit' meh startin next weekend! Are ya excited?"

"Yup!"

"Ah'm gonna teach ya ta be a world class Spybot! We're gonna practice sneakin, an' survival skills, an' hackin, an' how ta use dat small size to yo'r advantage." He listed off all the things we were going to do with a smile. "Prowler wan's ta teach ya strategizin, an' tactics, an' all dat goo' stuff!"

Feelings of love and adoration passed between the two of us. A third presence slid into the bond, dad adding his feelings to our's.

We stayed locked in a hug for several long moments. The twins waiting patiently until I was handed back over to them. I ended up on Sunny's shoulder this time.

Opi had to return to work after updating me on my new schedule. Afterwards the twins took me to get Bob from Hound, before we headed back to their room to relax for a bit.

The three of us settled down on the berth to relax for a bit, Bob curled up near our peds to take a nap. The twins scooted together so that I could curl up on both of their chassis where I stayed while we talked. We alternated between that and locking lips.

It had been over a month since my confession, and in that time the twins had become even more possessive and loving towards me. We often laid on their berth for hours kissing, making out, or just laying curled up in a heap of an embrace. Other times we took it even farther with our touching, often ending with us all satiated after experiencing an intense overload. We still hadn't done more than what we had before my confession, just some intimate touching, or cable syncing our interface arrays together.

I was still too shy to do much more, though Sides had tried pestering me for oral interface several more times lately. He'd get this heated look in his optics whenever we were fooling around, then he'd start making this strange huffing sound before he'd ask me to let him...yeah. Sunny got a kick out of it whenever I hid under the berth to get away from his overly amorous twin. Yes I loved them. Yes the idea aroused me. And yes in a way I wanted to try it! So I didn't really know why I kept turning him down...well I did, and it all came down to my being nervous about letting him...lick my...yeah...

But Valentine's day was coming up soon... Mikeala, the perv that she is, had insisted that maybe I should give them a little...something special for the event. She had grinned like an idiot the whole time we spoke...and now I was feeling significant embarrassment about the whole situation. I mean I knew what she was meaning by the whole _'give them something special'_ spiel she had given me. Oral. Oh my god she was getting amusement out of watching me flounder in embarrassment at the thought of sucking spike!

And oh my god the conversation after what had gone down at the club was torture. The first thing she asked me was, _'did you make love to them in the alleyway?'_ Seriously? Did I seem like the type to get freaky in an alleyway? I had to threaten to throw her to Sam's drunk self to get her to shut up about it.

Maybe...maybe they would want to do something for Valentine's day though?

"There's another Holliday coming up."

"Another one? What kind of Holliday?"

"Valentine's day."

"What's Valentine's day?"

I propped myself up on my elbows. "Well it's a Holliday dedicated to couples. It's not like religiously significant or anything. Couples just like to go out and do things together...it's romantic."

Sides leaned up on his elbows forcing me to latch onto him with my claws to keep from falling. "So is that your way of saying that you want to go out and do something romantic for this...Valentine's day?"

"Well Mikeala said something to me about it actually. Before that I hadn't really been thinking much about it. I mean it's kind of one of those overrated Hollidays that's more about businesses making money than anything else. But when I thought about it I figured that you two might like to do something."

"Define...do something." Sides grinned deviously.

Heat pooled in my cheeks again. "Perv!"

"You're more than pleased by my perviness."

Sunny snorted. "Of course she is. What femme doesn't like a good overload?"

"Sunny! You two are insatiable!"

"You haven't seen insatiable yet sweetspark. Wait until we start interfacing! Better yet wait until you relent and let me lick your-"

"SIDESWIPE!" With an undignified scramble I moved completely onto Sunny's chassis where I proceeded to glare at the grinning mech. He didn't even have the decency to look ashamed...but then again this was Sides. Anything perverted was nothing to be ashamed of to him. "Keep that up and I'll never let you!"

He pouted. "But-but then who's going to lick it? Sunny doesn't like it like I do!"

"Neither of you!"

"But sweetspark!" He whined scooting closer on his knees to nudge me with his helm. "I wanna lick you!"

I nearly fainted when he waggled his glossa at me suggestively. "How did we go from discussing Valentine's day to another argument about whether or not I'll let you lick my valve? Can we get back on track before I pass out?"

"Will possible valve licking be in the discussion?"

Sunny chuckled when I ducked down against his chassis with an embarrassed squeak. "He's not gonna stop until he gets to do it. Might as well let him. You'll like it anyways. In fact once you've had it you'll probably be trying to figure out ways to get it all the time."

"Who's side are you are?"

I felt him shrug.

"Can we please just figure out if we want to do something or not?"

"But I do want to do something." Sides pressed.

"Sides! That's not what I meant! I meant do you two want to do something non sexual?!"

"Depends on what it is. If it involves another movie theater then no." Sunny butted in.

"Sunny I know how you feel about the movie theater after the only time I dragged you there. We don't have to do something that requires money. Lots of couples go out on picnics or they do something fun at home. There's lots of things we can do."

Sides opened his mouth...

I glared daggers at him. "Do. Not. Say. It."

He whined like a spoiled child.

With a huff I continued on keeping a stern optic trained on my pervert mech. "It's too bad that Valentine's day is not on the weekend otherwise we could just go on a date to the oasis or the beach. For that matter I don't even know if both of you can come see me that day..." I hadn't even thought of that until now. Even if we talked to Optimus or dad the chances of them giving both twins the day off were slim...

"We can talk to Optimus or Prowl. If we tell them that it's important to you they might let us. We might have to pick up an early shift the next day but it'll be worth it."

"I don't want to ask you two to do that, you run patrol enough as it is."

Sides frowned at me. "You're not asking us to do it we're offering to do it for you. We'll probably have a shift that day anyways so why not make it an early one so that we can get done sooner? Maybe afterwards we can even come see you until we have to head back to base?"

My lips tilted up into a tentative smile. "If you want to talk to them you can. If they can't let you have it off then we can do something this weekend instead ok?"

"Ok! Come on Sunny you're coming with me!"

"What? Why?"

"Because if you don't I won't ask about you getting the day off!"

Sunny grumbled before he got up leaving me on the berth to follow after his twin. "We'll be back in a few baby."

"Ok. I may go to the wash racks real quick ok?"

"Ok." With that he disappeared around the corner.

It only took me a klik or so to decide that I did need to make a trip to the racks to clean myself. On the way out I put Bob into his holding pen so that he would not destroy any of Sunny's paintings, then I made my way to the femme wash racks.

Flareup and Arcee were in there when I arrived. "Oh Clare hello!" Arcee greeted me. It looked like they had just got here too because they were in the process of stripping their armor off.

"Hi Arcee. Hi Flareup." I too started stripping my armor before stepping under a solvent spigot near their's.

"So how have things been with the twins lately?" Flareup asked as she scrubbed her legs with cleanser.

"Good. There's a Holliday called Valentine's day coming up that I want to celebrate with them."

"Valentine's day?" Arcee chirped in confusion.

"Yeah it's like a special Holliday where couples celebrate their love and affection. I wanted to do something for the twins but I don't know if they can both get it off, and since it's on a weekday I won't be on base."

Cee hummed thoughtfully. "Have they asked about getting the day off?"

"They just went to talk to Optimus."

"Well I am sure that Optimus will be understanding of their request. They are soldiers but they are also courting you so it is only natural that they need time to spend with you too."

"Maybe."

Flareup suddenly got a devious glint in her optics. "So since this is an occasion for lovers to celebrate does that mean the twins might be getting a little something special from you?"

I flushed horribly. "No!"

Both femmes looked at me with matching smirks. "Why not?"

"Well because I-well I don't know! I mean we've done stuff...but not anything major. I don't know if I-I don't know how to pleasure a mech really. They're the ones pleasuring all of us...Oh pit did I just say that out loud?"

"Yes you did." Flareup snickered.

Now I wanted to bang my helm against the wall repeatedly.

"It's not a big deal Clare." She reassured me. "We all start out inexperienced in the beginning! It just takes time and desire to learn!"

Ohhh she was so going to give me intimacy tips I could feel it! Against all of my embarrassment I decided that maybe it was a good idea to ask them. It's not like I had to act on anything they said right? But it also wouldn't hurt to have them explain some things to me. "So...what do mechs like? I mean...if the opportunity rises what should I do?"

"Give them an experience they won't forget!"

"What does that even mean?"

"Well Clare when a femme is good at what she's doing it doesn't matter how many other femmes a mech has, he will always remember the best experiences. So if you're good enough at whatever you choose to do the twins will be reduced to a quivering mass of shaking metal."

"How do I do that? I mean...I've given them...servo jobs before but nothing else really. I'm not ready to interface yet either so what should I do?"

Flareup exchanged a brief glance with Arcee. "Well if it were me I would suck them off but nobot says that you have to do that yet."

I froze in rubbing cleanser into my thigh to stare up at her. She just...and now the idea...was in my helm... "But I don't know how to do that." Why wasn't I instantly shooting the idea down?!

"It's easy! The mechanics are simple! Bob your helm and suck! Pay attention to what really makes them moan...then target the particular area with whatever action they like. For example I have had a few flings with this mech named Inferno ok? He likes to have his piston stimulated with heavy sucks, where as say...Red Alert likes to have the array between the cables stimulated. Think of it as like a puzzle that you have to figure out! Find out what they really like then go at them like crazy!"

Holy fucking shit...since when did showering turn into porno lessons 101? Cause that's what this felt like right now! Straight up training for a porno. What was worse was that images were slowly beginning to filter through my processor of me doing...what she was describing. It almost made me want to faint right then and there!

They must have noticed too because Arcee turned off her spigot before stepping over towards me. "Do what you feel is right in your spark Clare. If you feel that you can handle more intimacy then go for it. If not then do not push yourself. As I have said before do things at your own pace, but know that it is ok to push yourself sometimes."

"Thanks Cee..." I hesitated slightly then... "But do you think they'll like it if I try? I mean...what if I'm bad at it?"

They both gave me a deadpan look. "They're mechs!"

Well wasn't that encouraging? "I know but what exactly...do I do? Like just move my mouth up and down and suck? That's it? Should I do anything else in particular?"

Arcee looked at me thoughtfully. "Well mechs seem to like it when the junction where the piston disappears into the spike is stimulated, like when we flick our glossas around the crease. Try that, but do not forget to alternate to keep the sensations rising. So go from stimulating the piston to taking them down hard and fast, or sometimes slow, it depends on them. They'll tell you what they like Clare so no worries."

No worries...no worries... I gulped heavily before turning my own spigot off. "Ok. No worries. I can do this."

Oh Primus no! No I couldn't! Yes I could! But what if I screwed up or something? What if I accidentally bit one of them?

"You're thinking too hard." Flareup chastised me. "Just try it and don't let your thoughts discourage you. Go along with the flow, let them guide you if you need it. Just don't psyche yourself out."

"Ok. Well I'll keep all of this in mind if the twins get to take me out. Thanks for the advice." I quickly dried my protoform and armor off with a towel before snapping the plates on.

"Just make sure to tell us how it goes!" Flareup demanded.

"Ummm ok. Well I better be getting back ok? See ya later."

They waved to me as I left the wash racks quickly returning to the twin's room. When I got there they were both sitting on the couch playing Halo 4, Sides was obviously winning if Sunny's scowl was anything to go by. What caught my attention even more was Bob sitting on Sunny's helm napping. Well he was, upon me entering the room his helm perked up a chittering sound escaping from him. He skittered down Sunny's armor onto the floor where he made a hasty beeline for me.

I scooped him up and carried him over to the couch so that Sunny could give me a lift up. Settling down between them my optics briefly took in what was happening on the screen, while Bob was nudging me for attention. I petted him absently.

Sides turned to me between games with a bright smile. "Optimus says we can take you somewhere for Valentine's day!"

Well that was surprising! "Really?"

"Yeah. Sunny and I run patrol a lot so he cut us some slack for the day. We have afternoon patrol the next day to make up for it."

"So what exactly do you two want to do? And scoot closer together so I can cuddle both of you!"

Sunny rolled his optics at me but scooted close enough that I was tucked snugly between their sides. "What do you want to do? We have to do a human thing right? It's not like we can walk around in our real forms on the mainland."

That did kind of bum me out too... Unless we could find somewhere big enough that was indoor with no witnesses around. But short of a warehouse there was nowhere really like that. We could probably go out in the desert somewhere but then Sunny would whine about his paint.

"How about we go out street racing?" Sides suggested.

"How does that fit the whole...theme of the Holliday?" Sunny asked him.

"Well sweetspark likes it when we take her racing."

"Yeah she does...but it still doesn't seem to fit the theme of the event."

"Normally I would say that I don't mind Sides, because I like it when you take me street racing, but every time you do that you end up in the brig. Maybe we should steer towards something that you won't get punished for?" I inserted quietly.

He pouted.

"Like I said we don't have to go out anywhere in particular! We can just do something together at my place like cuddle up on my bed and have a movie night. Valentine's day is about spending time together there are no real guidelines on how to do it. Some people go out for dinner, or a movie, or something else. Others stay home with their significant other and just cuddle."

Neither of them said anything.

"We'll figure something out!" I reassured them...

If I was brave enough to attempt what had been discussed in the shower earlier...then I doubted anything else we did would really matter much.

Oh Primus! I was turning into a perv! Gah!

* * *

Today was the day... Valentine's day. For the last few days I had spent my time deciding what to do for the occasion, by that I meant whether or not I should...yeah. When I had spoken to Mikeala about it she had encouraged me to try new things, even going so far as to say that it could only strengthen our relationship.

Now I was pacing in my room dressed up in yet another outfit she had forced me into. This one consisted of a short denim skirt, and a dark blue off the shoulders long sleeved midriff shirt, exposing my belly. On my feet were a pair of black ankle boots.

My hair was braided over my right shoulder. I had a light coating of makeup, eyeliner, eyeshadow, and some light pink lip gloss. I was not very happy about any of it either.

Mikeala had assured me that I was freaking hot though... And the twins were set to arrive at any moment now so there was no time to change. I had no idea where we were going but both of them had commed me earlier telling me to be prepared to go out.

It was easy to tell when they arrived even from upstairs the sound of their engines roaring was audible. I walked over to my window and peeked out upon hearing it, seeing their holoforms making their way to the door.

I made my way downstairs to answer the door since I was the only one home.

Both twins were standing there when it swung open. They looked nice wearing button up shirts in their respective colors, each with the top two buttons undone. Sides had on dark wash jeans, while Sunny had on light wash jeans.

They took me in as I did the same to them.

Sides grinned at me first. "You look beautiful."

I looked down at my outfit sheepishly. "Mikeala."

"We'll have to thank her later. For now we should get going if we want to get where we're going in time."

Sides helped me into his alt mode and then we were off. Neither would tell me where to or how they were going to pay for anything.

When we got to where they were taking me my eyes nearly bugged out. We pulled into the parking lot of an indoor amusement park...a big one. Screams from people riding rides could be heard clearly even from the parking lot. Where had they gotten the idea to go here?

Sides helped me out and together the three of us made our way inside the dome hand in hand...er hands. They paid for wrist bands for all of us, once again prompting me to ask where they got the money for it.

Sides grinned at me as we walked past the entrance booth. "The government started allotting us allowances to use as we please. Not big ones but we had more than enough to take you here."

"Thank you both." I kissed each of their cheeks.

Sunny slid his arm up to wrap around my shoulders. "So what do you want to do first?"

"Find something to ride?"

"Obviously."

"Don't you obviously me mister sassy pants."

"Yeah mister sassy pants don't sass her." Sides inserted humorously. He looked around while Sunny glared at him. "Oooh let's go on that!"

He was pointing at a tall chute like ride called the Sky Drop...I don't need to tell mention what kind of ride it was. But it was freaking tall. And people were screaming when it shot them straight down to the ground at high speed before bouncing back up like a freaking yo-yo.

Sides dragged us over to it eagerly. I couldn't protest because of how happy he looked.

We stood in line with dozens of other people until it was our turn. The car that we sat in was only three seats on each side with four sides in total. Sides ushered me in the middle seat before he took the left seat, leaving Sunny with the right seat.

The overhead bar came down over us locking us in place...and then we started to rise to the top. I promptly started freaking out once we reached the top.

"I CAN'T BELIEVE I LET YOU GET ME ON HERE! I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M ON THIS THING! OH MY FREAKING GOD WE'RE SO HIGH UP! WE'RE SO FREAKING HIGH UP! WHAT IF MY SKIRT FLIPS AND EVERYONE SEES MY UNDIES? OH MY-GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!" I screeched when the clamps released the car sending it careeing towards the ground.

Sides grabbed onto my hand with a loud whoop. "YEEEEAAAAAHHHHHH!"

The car jerked then suddenly shot back up towards the top causing me to scream bloody murder. "I HATE YOU! I HATE YOU! I'M NEVER COMING TO ANOTHER AMUSEMENT PARK WITH YOU EVER AGAIN!"

My red haired date looked at me in amusement as the goddamn ride went back and forth like a freaking yo-yo at least six more times before coming to a final stop.

As soon as the bar rose I was up off that ride faster than the twins were thrown into the brig on one of dad's bad days. I stumbled as far away from the ride as I could, the twins keeping pace with me.

"That was fun! I wanna go again!"

Sunny gave Sides a glare. "Idiot! The point of bringing her out was for her to have fun not to traumatize her with her phobias!"

"It's ok." I breathed out heavily. "No harm done. Just give me a few kliks before you try getting me on anything high up?"

Sides looked at me sheepishly. "Sorry sweet. How about you sit for a few and I'll go get you something to eat?"

"Ok."

"I'll be right back!" With that he disappeared into the throng of people.

Sunny sat us both down on a bench nearby. While we waited for Sides to return I laid my head on his shoulder comfortably. He tilted his head down to the side, our eyes locking. My lips tilted up into a small smile mirrored by a slight quirking of his own lips.

I leaned up to kiss him several times.

While we were locked together Sides came back. "Hey! I better get some kisses too!"

We pulled apart, me turning to grin at Sides. "Of course you get some! After you give me that sub!"

He plopped down beside me handing me the roast beef sub, and large drink he had gotten for me. I noticed that he had something else that he put off to the side secretively, but I was famished from not eating all day. Therefore stuffing my face was more important.

I ate quickly sharing a few bites with Sides. Sunny still would not try any human food, especially after the Every Flavored Beans experience.

After finishing I sipped at the Root Beer he had gotten me. "So what are you hiding over there Sides?"

"Something!"

"What kind of something?"

He puckered his lips at me. "Kisses first."

I rolled my eyes at him but crossed the distance to press my lips against his. From the corner of my eye I could see people staring at us oddly, the same people who had seen me kissing Sunny. You'd think that they would care more about doing their own thing but I guess that a girl making out with two guys was something to stare at...at least to everyone else.

Not that I cared, nor did the twins. Sides only proved this when he pulled away with a wide grin. He reached around behind his back and pulled out a small white teddy bear with red hearts on it. "I won the game, Sunny helped pick it out."

"Awww it's so cute!" I felt the soft fur and gushed over him. Normally amusement parks had low quality prizes, this one was actually well made.

My reaction pleased them if the smug looking smirks adorning their faces were anything to go by. I didn't even care! From this day forward my new bear's name was...Patches. I cuddled up to Sides and Sunny wearing what was probably a stupid grin. Patches Patches Patches Patches! If hearts could be floating around my head they would be.

"So what do you two want to do now?"

"Roller Coaster!"

"Sides what did I just say?"

"Umm not to traumatize her with things she's afraid of?"

"And you're trying to do that like ten kliks after I told you that!"

The argument passed back and forth over my head for several moments before I finally shushed them both. "We can go on it...but if I throw up it's Sides' fault."

"What? How is it my fault?"

"Because you suggested it!" Sunny and I deadpanned.

"Not fair..."

He dragged us over to ride the damn thing anyways. For some reason it was even scarier than the Sky Drop, probably because of the loops and the clicking sounds as we climbed the first drop. I hated roller coasters, my face was buried in Sunny's shoulder the entire ride while he held Patches to make sure he didn't fly away.

We went on the roller coaster a few more times, the Sky Drop once more, the bungie jumping ride which Sides and I both enjoyed, The Alien Disc, Teacups, and a multitude of other rides. It really was fun.

But eventually the time came to head home... And with it came the anticipation for what I wanted to do.

* * *

It was almost midnight by the time we got back to the house. Bee wasn't there so that meant that Sam and Mikeala were still out. My Aunt and Uncle were gone for the night. That meant that for a while we would be alone in the house.

We headed upstairs to my room where the twins made themselves comfortable on my bed while I took a quick shower. They didn't notice the small night gown that I snuck in. It would barely cover my thighs, was black silk with thin straps. Mikeala had helped pick it out along with a pair of matching black silk panties.

I showered, dried off, then slipped the items on forgoing a bra. I stopped short of the door to gather my thoughts, take a deep breath, then finally I entered the room.

Conversation stopped instantly upon my entrance. I didn't need to ask why, their shock over my outfit choice was apparent for me to see. Sunny scooted down to the bottom of the bed knees dangling over the side.

The atmosphere in the room became heavy as the mood shifted. A hand held out had me moving towards him. He took hold of my hips and pulled me down into his lap so that my knees were splayed out on either side of his.

Everything in me tightened in anticipation for what was going to happen.

Sunny wasted no time in bringing me in for a smoldering kiss either. His hands drifted down over my curves with haste until they cupped my ass, and then he jerked my hips forward roughly so that I could feel his reaction to me.

I jerked away with a gasping moan. His hands were moving back over me in no time at all, tugging at my gown in an attempt to get it off. If I let him, them start in on me I didn't know if I could follow through with my plan afterwards. I didn't even know if I would be able to remember it after being subjected to the onslaught of sensations they would put me through.

I couldn't be on the receiving end forever.

That was why I slapped his hands away earning a frustrated growl from him. I slid down between his knees before he could grab at me again, which stilled his attempt to. His eyes became big when I reached out and stroked the very noticable bulge in his pants.

I didn't say anything to him as I undid his button, gripped his zipper, and slid it all the way down. He seemed like he had even stopped breathing. My hands hooked in the waistband of his pants forcing him to lift himself up momentarily so that I could pull them down.

Once he was seated back on the bed with his pants around his ankles I was able to take in what his spike looked like in holoform. It was like a human's only much larger than most, smaller than his real form's smallest size but only by an inch or two.

His eyes were glued to me...and not just his, I noticed Sides peeking over his brother's shoulder as I reached out and stroked it. Sunny breathed harshly but sat still letting me explore.

I stroked him a few times before I really surprised them by leaning forward and licking the head. His entire body jerked from just that one small touch.

Shifting forward on my knees I moved to hover my mouth right over the tip. His hand came down to tangle in my hair but he didn't push me down. I knew that he could sense my nervousness, that his hand was there to comfort and steady me. I could do this... It was ok to be nervous, but I could do this.

I moved my head down taking in as much as I could. This time he did grunt hand tightening in my hair for different reasons now. Using one hand I marked how far down I felt comfortable taking him in, last thing I wanted was to choke myself.

Tightening my grip I gave the first tentative bob of my head all the way to the tip. His entire form shuddered. I descended again simultaneously pumping my hand upwards experimentally. I nearly choked when he bucked into my mouth unexpectedly.

His soft moans pushed me to continue anyways. That and the warmth rising up inside of me, growing stronger when I started bobbing my head in succession. I liked what I was doing...

Using tongue and teeth, I nipped and licked under the head alternating on each pass. By now his hands were helping to guide me up and down as he moaned. Really moaned...not grunted like he normally did when we fooled around. I was making him moan.

Swirling my tongue around the head I took him fast going down, then tightened back up, repeating this each time because it really got a reaction out of him. I was vigorous, making up for in speed and intensity what I lacked in experience and finesse. This was as much about learning for me as it was about pleasuring him. And he was being pleasured, he kept telling me so with not so appropriate words.

"Clare...Primus yes! Take more! Harder!" He was rather vocal.

I felt him swelling in my mouth, my tongue splayed out against the slit at the top to catch whatever he gave.

He overloaded with a loud raspy roar hips bucking wildly upwards.

The taste of him was sweet and salty, rather pleasing actually. I was surprised that I liked it as much as I did. Only downside was that he produced more than a freaking fountain so some of it dribbled down onto his thighs. I licked up what I could before releasing him with a pop to lick up what had escaped.

When I looked up they were both staring at me, Sunny with his jaw hanging slightly due to his heavy breathing, and Sides with heated desperate looking eyes. My chest was heaving as I crawled up onto the bed to push Sides down onto his back. At least he had the state of mind to undo his pants for me.

I wasted no time in taking him in my mouth as well. If I thought that Sunny was vocal it was nothing compared to how loud Sides was. He didn't talk so much in words, not nearly as much anyways. It was more in the form of loud moans, gasps, and whimpers. I stroked him in time with each bob of my head. Fast and hard. I suckled the head each time I came up, then I met the downward movement of my head with an upward stroke of my hand.

There was a sudden movement behind me before my nightgown was practically ripped off. Literally the straps were shredded due to the force with which the silk was tugged at with. It slid off my body easily followed by my panties next.

And then hands were between my legs stroking my folds. My head shot up with my own elated cry of pleasure that I could not curb. I barely had the sense of mind to keep stroking Sides as well.

"Please sweetspark!" He arched his hips up towards me.

I shuddered with another loud cry when Sunny's fingers sped up. He shifted higher up my back moving his arms to lock around me to make what he was doing easier. Then he took a moment to push my head down towards Sides.

Taking the hint I leaned down and engulfed him again. We both cried out again, me around his length when Sunny stroked me harsh enough to make my eyes flash.

All three of us moved together on my bed Sunny stroking, me sucking, and both Sides and I writhing. I could feel my peak climbing fast and hard. Sides' peak was rapidly approaching as well.

With a series of hard strokes and sucks both of us overloaded together. He filled my mouth with a sharp cry, matched by my own muffled one. I had no sense of mind to pull away from him as my hips wildly bucked into Sunny's probing hand, it almost made me choke on the transfluid shooting from the tip. It was so fragging sweet...

Both of us came down panting from the pleasure overload. Sunny's heavy breathing was right in my ear. All I wanted to do was slump down against the mattress...

Sides had other ideas.

It all happened too fast for me to comprehend. One moment I was propped up over Sides with Sunny against my back, and the next I was laying with my ass hanging off the bed with Sides kneeling between my legs. He lifted my legs up onto his shoulders spreading me wide.

He was breathing hard.

"Sides...you don't...have to." I panted out. At this point I wasn't going to deny him if he wanted to, but I also wouldn't demand it.

My entire body tensed when he nuzzled my wetness before flicking the nub with his tongue. I arched with another shuddering gasp unconsciously pushing my apex into his face.

He rumbled against me before licking at me hard and fast making me scream.

Sunny knelt down over my face kissing me hard as he took my breasts in his hands tweaking the nipples. Each touch, flick, tweak elicited moan after moan that he eagerly devoured. My senses were racing too fast for me to do anything but quiver, and thrust wildly into Sides' mouth. His tongue gathering up everything that I had to offer as he too moaned in ecstasy.

Red wisps of hair tickled me, warm breaths heightened the sensations emanating from each touch. Why had I even bothered trying to deny my desire for this before? Oh Primus...it was perfection! It was mind blowing! So amazing that I couldn't even stand it!

Sides moved from sucking my nub to thrusting his tongue inside of me.

A gasping cry escaped from me as my body arched upon feeling the shock, along with the tongue writhing inside of me. My insides quivered against it, Sides' moan reverberating back when he felt it.

I was close! The quivering growing stronger with each passing second. Tongues clashed together, one delved deeper inside of me thrusting in and out.

All it took to force me into overload was a forceful series of rough touches against my nub.

And then I arched screaming into Sunny's mouth so hard and loud that it actually echoed in my room. I repeatedly cried out as I bucked into Sides' mouth spilling juices that he busily lapped up with a growl.

Once it all passed I was sure that I had turned to jelly or something...I just could not move. All I could do was lay there and pant as they pulled back. Sides picked me up while Sunny moved the covers back so that I could be placed under them, then Sides locked the door before he came back. Both of them stood watching me for a moment before they removed the rest of their clothes and joined me.

I snuggled into both of them feeling exhausted from everything. "Was...was it ok?"

Sides languidly rolled towards me with a satisfied grin his arms wrapping around me. "It was amazing sweetspark."

I smiled stupidly before snuggling into his bare chest. "I love you both."

Sunny spooned me from behind. "We love you too baby." It was the first time that he had said that on his own...

My spark swelled in response.

I wanted to be with them forever...

* * *

R&amp;R! Strong limeade there huh? Well that's normally how I roll with stuff like this. I personally liked it! Hope you guys did too! And finally Sides got to be a little lick whore! Yay! It'll probably only get worse from here too...XD! **PLEASE READ! I HAVE A VOTE GOING IN MY PROFILE PAGE FOR MY NEXT TWINS/OC STORY! PLEASE RESEARCH ANODITES BEFORE VOTING! THEN PLEASE VOTE SO THAT I CAN STAT PLOTSTORMING FOR IT! THANK YOU!**

**Shaniese- **I will thanks!

**Coolgal02**\- He is hilarious isn't he? Wow you laugh at the worst possible times because of this story don't you? Lol!

**Silent Shooter**\- Was that good enough to hold you over until the real lemons start? XD

**Izzy-dragon-rider**\- This update was actually earlier than I was going for. I have like seven or eight chapters pre-typed but updates are going to be once a week most likely from now on! Second movie arc is coming soon!

**DarkshadowXsunny-sides**\- Yay for fluffiness! I've only heard Uptown Funk like once but it was on the list for dance music so I was like might as well put it in. And yes sweet moments were what I was going for!

**himelove22**\- Ok I updated soon! Do I get a cookie? Yay finally the I LOVE YOUS!

**Moonlightdeer**\- Thank you! I decided to do this update early for you guys because of all the great reviews!

**HeartsGuardianSol**\- It was a long time coming wasn't it? Thanks!

**CastielLunaWinchester**\- How's that for another I love you? XD


	28. Chapter 28

I just went back to do some extra editing for the last chapter and it almost had me blushing! There will be a lot more M rated scenes like that cause this fic is rated M! For those of you who like that kind of thing look forward to it. So this fic has over 22,000 views! Woohoo! We're almost at 200 reviews too! Thanks to everyone that reads, reviews, favs, etc! Anyways I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! Time skip! More limeade! Couldn't resist having something now for their real forms!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

February came and went, my spark orn along with it. I was now legally seventeen years old! My birthday had been celebrated both on the base and at home with Sam and my Aunt Judy, and Uncle Ron.

On base all of the Autobots and soldiers had provided a small get together with energon candies, energon, high grade, some human foods, and several gifts. Dad and opi had gotten me a Cybertanium combat knife, Chromia, Hide, and Arcee had given me my first gun; a high impact sniper rifle! Hound had given me some datapads on various wildlife from all the different planets he had been too, Flareup had given me some more wax, Jacky had upgraded my subspace for me so that I could hold all of my new gifts! Hot Rod, much to the twins chagrin had gotten me some new paint after saying that I deserved a prettier color than silver. Ratchet had given me some medical tools so that I could help him out in the med bay. But Optimus had done something even more special for me though!

He had taken me to his office after the party and shown me my new Autobot symbol! I was set to receive it after graduating from High School! Ratchet would have to weld it onto my armor in whatever spot I chose, so since that day I had spent quite a lot of time trying to figure out where I wanted to put it.

Then there was the twins... At first they had given me nothing during the party, and afterwards when I had spent the night in their quarters all we had done was love on each other...thoroughly. I hadn't been disappointed when they hadn't presented me something like everybot else had. If anything I had been content to lay with them basking in the afterglow of our activities.

But the next day when they had taken me home I had gotten a major surprise! My walls had been repainted with a brand new mural. Something so fragging beautiful that I couldn't even get angry that Sunny had repainted over my old one. Because the multicolored crystals lining my walls were just beautiful. They told me that Cybertron had many crystal gardens and they thought I would like this one. I did indeed.

It was a birthday that I would not ever forget.

Time had gone by so fast after that! February was over before I knew it, then April, and now it was May.

With May came an entirely new reason for having a headache. Prom. Mikeala insisted that I was going, even going so far as to buy me a ticket. She had even gone behind my back by having the twins, Sides, buy tickets for them to go with me. So now I had no choice but to go.

We were set to go dress shopping sometime this week, which my Aunt and Uncle were going to help me with. Tuxes weren't so expensive...prom dresses? Not so much. I almost shuddered to think how much my dress was going to come to.

Right now I was laying on the twins berth browsing selections from nearby boutiques. I figured it would make it a less taxing experience to look at choices before we went shopping.

Sides was laying on the berth beside me just watching what I was doing. Every now and then I would send him a link to look at for a second opinion. Mikeala would be pissed if she knew that he was helping me look but if it got me out of a six hour dress shopping spree I did not care!

He sent back ones that he liked for me to save in my memory center, what he didn't like he discarded.

It seemed like he was going more towards shorter dresses than long ones. The perv. He also kept picking out everything that had his color.

Me? I was going more towards black or dark blue. Those colors seemed to fit me more, and that way I did not start a pissing match between them because I chose one of their colors and not the other.

Now if only I could get Sides to stop feeling me up every five astroseconds so that I could concentrate.

"Sides servos off."

The servos grabbing at my aft stilled only momentarily before they moved to cup my aft and squeeze. I sighed as he moved to lay against my back, servos sliding up to rest on either side of me. He was making that huffing sound again...

Ever since that first time that I had taken that plunge in my room things had progressed rather far with us. We still hadn't interfaced yet, but we had fallen into a routine or ritual if you prefer. I no longer denied any of our needs nearly as much. They both got what they wanted at least several times a week as did I.

It was kind of embarrassing but...I discovered that I had a lick fetish just like Sides did. You could either like what you were doing with your partner or you could just do it for them without getting anything out of it. Me? I enjoyed licking their...yeah... Neither of them were complaining.

If anything it had turned them both into insatiable sex toys. Like right now. Sides was plastered to my backside, undulating against me with need. We sometimes played this game, where I would lay there knowing that they wanted me but I wouldn't acknowledge it. I did it to frustrate them for my own amusement since they liked to torment me so much.

Sides huffed in my audio as he shifted higher to rock against my backside. "Sweetspark..."

"Hmm?" I ducked my helm and smirked.

"Please?" He begged.

**(LIME STARTS HERE SKIP IF YOU DON'T WANT TO READ IT!)**

Ever so slowly I rose up onto my knees before turning around to face him. He understood my movements and settled back onto his aft on the berth while I approached him, his optics locked on me. Once I was close enough he discarded his sodpiece revealing his spike.

I couldn't help but to blush upon seeing it even though we had done this dozens of times before.

His servo came to rest on the back of my helm guiding me down towards the tip of his spike, the piston already undulating with his excitement. I slid my glossa out to tease the crease between the piston and the main body.

A soft groan met my audios. "Please..."

Leaning down I took as much as I could into my mouth, and what I could not take in I wrapped my servos around to pump. I started up a well practiced rythm, bobbing my helm in time to the upward thrust of my servos.

The unique metallic flavor of him filled my senses. Sweet and metallic with a hint of spice. Heat started pooling beneath my valve covering as I bobbed my helm repeatedly, both of us whimpering softly. I shifted to alleviate the growing tension between my legs, thighs rubbing together in a futile attempt to ease it.

Even at his smallest he was so fragging large that even in this form I could hardly take the majority of him in. He stretched my mouth joints to the point of aching. His servos guided my helm up and down at the pace he liked most right now. My glossa teased the cables, slipping between them to test the sensitive undersides of the cables, then moved further up to slip into the crease between the piston and the main body.

He moaned harder when I did that jerking his hips up from the berth over and over again.

"Harder please..." He groaned.

For a moment I toyed with the idea of teasing him but discarded the idea in favor of speeding up my movements. His grip on my helm tightened as a louder more desperate moan fell from his lips. I could feel his spike swelling in my mouth in preperation for overload.

I brought him to overload with a hard suck combined with several vigorous strokes of my servos. He arched with an elated cry, filling my mouth with his transfluid. I greedily drank it down enjoying the erotic taste of it, not stopping until he slumped down and I had gotten every last drop.

Leaning back I licked my metal lips to gather what had dribbled out. He watched my every move with heated optics.

Gentle servos pushed me back onto the berth. I laid back knowing that he would take care of me next.

His lips descended on mine briefly before moving down my frame, over my neck where he sucked the cables, down my chassis, abdomen, until he came to rest between my thighs.

The doors to the room slid open at the same moment that he popped my valve covering off. My optics drifted over to rest on Sunny when he stepped into the room. His optics became heated when they landed on us on the berth.

I shivered in anticipation when Sides nuzzled against me, that huffing sound rattling his vents.

He suddenly froze against me, glossa stopping just short of touching my external ports... Then he groaned before pulling back with a look of apology on his face. "I got commed to go to the hangar for a mission briefing."

I whined in protest. "But Sides..."

"Sorry sweetspark. When I come back I'll give you your reward ok?"

I pouted but nodded regardless. He leaned down to give me a heated kiss as he touched my frame sensually to tease me. It was so not cool when I was already hot with need. Sunny might help me but I really wanted something that he hadn't done for me yet. According to Sides he didn't like it as much as he did, and rarely did it.

So when Sides got up to leave I resigned myself to having to wait for him to return to get my relief. Sunny slid up onto the berth when the doors slid shut. He probably wanted the same treatment that I had given Sides.

He surprised me when instead of removing his sodpiece for me he moved down between my legs. My breath caught, a whimper becoming lodged in my throat when he leaned down to sniff at my opening. Sides would've just jumped in without care but Sunny was tentative about what he was doing.

"You don't have to do that Sunny. I know that you don't really like it."

A grunt was my reply.

Hot air brushed against my overly sensitive valve for a few astroseconds, before his glossa slid over my opening. I squirmed, squealing slightly as pleasure shot up from my valve.

He abruptly shifted from hesitant to feverish, going from near stillness to rapidly licking my opening. The change in pace had me arching with a cry of surprise and pleasure. My body undulated, rocking against his glossa.

Servos pinned me down halting my movements, taking control of the situation completely. He thrusted his glossa in and out of my opening making me moan in pleasure. He alternated between thrusting in and out of my valve, to teasing the ports outside. Back and forth. Over and over again. Making me writhe with ecstasy.

I felt myself reaching my peak quickly, sparks flickering across my frame as the friction built higher. Everything in me tightening painfully, my helm thrashing from side to side because of the overwhelming pleasure.

A deep growl vibrating against my apex was what finally sent me flying over the edge with a resounding cry. My hips jerked violently against the berth in a primal reaction to the intense sensation overload. Sunny continued holding them down, optics watching my face as the evidence of my pleasure spilled into his waiting mouth. He growled again as he lapped it all up.

I fell limp against the berth after another few astroseconds, spent. Heavy pants rattling my frame.

Sunny crawled back up the berth to lay beside me. He accepted me into the crook of his arm where I cuddled up against his chassis to catch my breath. As soon as I was steady again I would return the favor.

"I love you Sunny." I murmured contentedly.

His grip on me tightened in response. He rarely spoke the words but I understood the meaning of the gesture.

My spark sped up, jumping against its casing the bot equivalent of butterflies. I loved these two idiots so much that sometimes it made my spark hurt. All I wanted was to curl up beside them in recharge every night.

I wanted a real future with them. I wanted them to want that with me.

Call me naive but I think that they wanted that with me too. I hoped our sparks were compatible.

Sunny rumbled against me causing me to lift my helm and smile at him. "Your turn."

* * *

Saturday morning was utter chaos for me. I had simulation training with opi, tactics training with dad, then I had training in the med bay with Ratchet. Sam was coming to visit with Bee and Mikeala on top of that, and even more pressing was that two more bot signatures were caught entering the atmosphere.

That had been what Sides' mission briefing yesterday was all about. He, Ironhide, and Chromia had gone with Optimus to find out who it was, and if it they were Autobots to bring them back.

Sunny was in a rather bad mood because Sides was gone without him. He had locked himself in their room to work on a painting. Nobot was stupid enough to disturb him except for me. Well I planned on going to see him after I was released from the med bay.

Today Ratchet was teaching my about the main energon cirulation system, since energon cables being severed was the most common injury for bots in the field, and it could also be one of the most dangerous. Given that enough cables were severed, or that a main line was severed a bot could leak to death in less than five kliks. Right now he was showing me how to stop the flow and reconnect the cables. He was insistent that I learn to properly treat wounds without my healing powers. I agreed, though he did train me in conditioning myself to use them more extensively so that I became more accustomed to it.

We had discovered through several sessions that I could heal many injuries, but that my spark would strain the more I used it. Through using it to help out in the med bay here and there it was becoming easier regardless of the fact that it tired me out rather quickly still.

That was why the formal lessons in repairing bots was necessary. This way I would have other means to rely on to help others, and since I was not a combat oriented bot due to my size it was one of the main ways that I could help. Ratchet said that I was a quick learner which made me feel good about myself.

I was also excited for Sam to get here! It was going to be his first time coming to the base! Ratchet kept having to reprimand me for spacing out while I was working because of my excitement.

"Clare you must be able to stay focused while treating an injured bot!" He reprimanded me for what must have been the dozenth time that day.

"Sorry Ratchet! I'm just excited for Sam, Bee, and Mikeala to come to the base!"

He gently brought his wrench down on my helm in halfsparked reprimand. "I know that femme! But you must stay focused otherwise you will make mistakes! All it takes is one little detail slipping past you to end a bot's life."

"Sorry."

"Just concentrate youngling, otherwise you may cause damage to Skids." Ratchet looked down at Skids who I was currently working on...then muttered something about it not being a particularly bad loss.

I giggled before I went back to reconnecting the cables that Mudflap had torn out in yet another stupid sibling brawl. The red twin didn't look any better either, and Ratchet was being rather rough with his repairs if the pained yelps were anything to go by.

Luckily Ratchet had disabled the majority of their vocal processes so that they could not actually talk. I got a real kick out of that if for no other reason than the fact that it prevented them from flirting with me again. My twins did not care for it when they did that either.

I quickly reconnected the wires in Skids' shoulder to prevent him from leaking anymore, then I moved to repair the torn section or armor using a welder that was built into my servos courtesy of Ratchet.

The two of us worked quickly to get the two idiots out of the med bay.

Ratchet enabled their vocal processors before they left, and no sooner had the doors to the med bay shut another argument started up. I shook my helm tiredly. Idiots.

Two loud clangs sounded outside the door not even three astroseconds later. An astrosecond later Sunny stomped into the med bay.

Ratchet scowled at him as he snatched me up from the berth I was on. "Where are you taking my apprentice?"

"Sides contacted me over the bond to tell me that they're almost back." Sunny said as a way of explaining. It didn't really explain his attitude though. Well if somebot he didn't like was coming back it did.

While I was thinking that over a public comm. link popped up on my HUD. Upon opening it Optimus' voice came through requesting that all Autobots report to the main hangar. Well I guess that it included me too since I was an Autobot in training. Sunny hefted me onto his shoulder as the three of us started towards the hangar. One of his servos kept up constant contact with my back even after we had arrived at the hangar.

The familiar forms of Optimus, Ironhide, Chromia, and Sideswipe pulled into the hangar followed closely by Bee! I perked up when I saw him waving cheerfully to the yellow scout. He honked back as two more forms pulled into the hangar.

A dark blue Chevy Volt pulled in, followed closely by a soft white colored Porsche. Sunny tensed for some reason when whoever that was pulled in.

More than that, when the others shifted back Sides seemed tense as well.

I gently touched Sunny's cheek to comfort him, as I too took in the newcomers. The dark blue Volt turned into a mech who was maybe a foot or two shorter than the twins. The other bot was a femme.

She was watching me as closely as I was watching her. Well I would say that she was pretty for sure, a little taller than the other femmes, lean, well endowed. She had audio horns like Sides did and door wings like dad, but she was a good deal shorter than either of my twins maybe coming up to opi's height. Her peds had a pointed six inch heel on each one, with no claws. She didn't even have claws on her servos either.

Why the frag was she watching me so closely?

I barely heard Optimus introduce both of them, only catching their designations. The blue mech was called Jolt, and the femme was ShimmerNova. And she was still staring at me...or was she staring at Sunny?

It looked like she was watching us both...but then her gaze swept to Sides as well before coming back to Sunny and I. Was that why he was so tense? And why did I not have a good feeling about this?

After introductions were finished almost everybot but Optimus, Ratchet, Ironhide, and the two new arrivals dispersed to do their own things, including Bee who took Sam and Mikeala on a tour of the base. Sides came over to where Sunny and I were standing lifting me away from his twin so that he could pull me onto his shoulder.

ShimmerNova chose to make her way over towards us at that moment. The way she moved was sensual like an experienced femme trying to bag a nice mech prize. It immediately put me on the defensive.

"You two aren't being very polite." She purred once she was close enough. "Don't I get an introduction to your little friend here?"

Sides looked at me as Sunny tensed in obvious aggression. Neither seemed to want to answer her.

I forced a smile to be polite. "I'm Clare."

"I'm ShimmerNova." She introduced herself with an arrogant flick of her wrist. "So are the twins related to you or something?"

"No. We're-"

"Courting." Sunny interrupted me rudely.

I was about to say something to him about it when ShimmerNova snorted. My attention was drawn back to her scowling face.

"Courting? You?" She asked incredulously. "Don't be ridiculous! You two wouldn't seriously court a femme unless your lives depended on it! What game are you playing with the poor thing?"

Game? For some reason her words weren't the only thing getting to me, her arrogant tone was. That combined with her words told me that she and the twins had most likely had a thing in the past, and it had most likely ended on bad terms. "They aren't playing any game with me." I defended them.

"That's where you're wrong femme." She sneered at me.

"I'm not wrong femme." I sneered right back. Screw politeness! "Just because they obviously played you doesn't mean that they have to play everybot. If you ask me you're just jealous because you know that the only reason either would give you a chance again would be to play you."

"They'd give me a chance again because I'm far better in the berth than you will ever be halfbit. I bet they can't even mount you without damaging you."

My jaw snapped shut with a loud snap. "If it were me I'd rather mount somebot that actually had some tread left where it counts. Not somebot that's been had by everybot and their creator." I bit out. "When you get mounted do they just fall in?"

She snapped back with a look of shocked rage on her face. "Why you little!"

Sides moved away from her shielding me protectively when she took a small step forward. "Don't touch her!" He growled dangerously. Sunny got between us and her in a defensive stance.

A dangerous sounding hiss slid past her light pink lips.

My own warning hiss slid out from between my rapidly sharpening denta. I felt a wave of curiosity and concern through my bond with my creators. They had never sensed me so enraged before.

**[Wha's wrong sparklet?]**

I didn't answer him. The atmosphere was tense, our hissing loud, both of us poised to strike even if I logically knew that I could not beat her in a fight with my small size. I would still rake my claws down over that pretty painted face of her's!

Apparently opi decided to come see what was bothering me because he suddenly appeared beside ShimmerNova from seemingly nowhere. He took one look between the two of us, the twins who were snarling angrily, before he stepped in between us all to diffuse the situation.

"Now now femmes le's all calm down! Yo' too twins!" He slanted another look in my direction. "Sparklet yo'r opis expect betta from ya den dis! Le'cha anger go ok? We're all friends 'ere."

I forced my hiss to cut off. "Sorry opi."

Stupid glitch ShimmerNova let her slightly lighter optics drift over to my opi weighingly.

We were all saved from another possible confrontation when Ratchet came over with that other blue bot. He obviously sensed the tension around us but instead of commenting on it he gestured to the dark blue mech who was unsurprisingly watching me. "Clare this is Jolt my other apprentice. Since you two will be working together under me I thought it prudent to formally introduce you."

Jolt gave me a cocky grin. "Why hello there beautiful."

The twins instantly switched their attention from glaring at ShimmerNova, to snarling at Jolt.

Why did things always have to be this complicated? First the twins' old flame shows up to stir up tension, then another mech who only seems to have optics for me starts in. At least he didn't seem vindictive like Shimmerslut, so I could at least try and be polite.

"Hello I'm Clare, the twins femmefriend." I stressed that point extensively. As in I was off the market with no interest of getting back on the market right now. If I had my way I never would be.

He didn't seem perturbed in the least. "I'm glad that Ratchet chose a pretty little femme to work with us in the med bay. It can get boring in there sometimes. At least I'll have you to look at. I promise not to touch though... Wouldn't want to slag the twins off."

No you wouldn't want to do that buddy. "Yeah you should probably make sure to follow your own advice." I warned him. "But it'll be nice to have a new face around the bay. So long as you remember what you just said I look forward to working with you."

He grinned. "Same."

"Well no' dat introductions are over wit' ah t'ink dat Hound was lookin for ya earlier baybay spark. Ain'cha supposed to start obedience trainin' wit' Bob today?" Opi asked me.

"Oh that's right! Well I guess that I better get going then! It was nice to meet you Jolt! Screw you ShimmerSlut." I said as way of bidding her goodbye. "Come on Sides let's go!"

Opi gave me a slightly disapproving look before the twins turned to leave the hangar. I sent my own disgruntled feelings back through the bond. No way was I going to apologize to her or treat her decently after what she said to me! If she grew up I would act more mature as well! Until then screw her!

Sides turned to me with a grin once we were out of hearing range of the others. "You have a sharp little glossa don't you? You ripped her aft right open!"

I huffed petulantly. "Well she made me angry."

"We could tell. You look quite sexy when you're slagged off." Sides purred. "You might wanna be careful with Shimmer though, she's a crazy glitch."

"Well I may not be able to take her but I sure as pit will rake my claws down that pretty fragging face of her's. Then it won't be so pretty anymore."

"I'd like to see that." Sunny muttered.

"What's her deal anyways? Did you two drop her like a bad habit or something?"

"Yeah kind of." Sunny grumbled. Neither of them really seemed to want to expand on that. I wanted to ask but I sensed that now was not the time for it. Later when things had settled down I would ask them to explain.

Hound was waiting for us inside of Training room C. Earlier he had commed me to tell me that he was preparing Bob for obedience lessons, this consisted of installing certain data packs that allowed Bob to recognize verbal cues.

Bob was scurrying around the room near Hound's peds but he perked up when we came in. As soon as Sides let me down my little bug baby came skittering over to me. He butted his helm against my lower stomach with a soft clicking sound.

"Hi Hound."

"Hello Clare. Are you ready to start teaching Bob to obey commands?"

"Yes. Could you explain this all to me first?"

"Of course! Ok so I informed you earlier that I was doing a processor upgrade for Bob correct?"

"Yes you did. You told me that you were installing data packs into his processor that allowed him to respond to verbal cues."

Hound nodded. "I did! This is more like a test to ensure that his processor is responding properly to the new data upgrades. We also need to make sure that he can respond to both verbal and visual cues, so the data packs that I installed have visual cues as well. Unfortunately even if the data is there it does not mean that he will respond accordingly every time. He is very much like an intelligent puppy, the cues are there and he may recognize them, however he may not respond. We need to teach him to focus on your commands."

"Ok so this is going to be like training a puppy?"

"Sort of. Why don't we start with some basic commands first? I made sure that the visual cues match the cues you are familiar with using on your pets."

Ok so the first thing that I needed to do was make sure that I had Bob's attention. If this was like puppy training then I wanted him to respond to his name!

"Bob!"

His gaze snapped to me from where he was exploring across the room.

"Heel!" I pointed down at my peds.

He came racing over towards me until he was standing beside me.

"Heel!" I repeated before I turned and started walking around the room. Every few steps I looked back to make sure that he was following me, and he was much to my pleasure. But he normally followed me all over the place, so the real question was did he get what heel meant?

I suddenly stopped dead center in the middle of the room. He stopped directly beside me. Good. I turned to face him making the gesture for him to sit. "Sit."

He complied instantly.

"Good boy." I praised him. Next I made the gesture for him to lay down. "Lay down."

He cocked his helm at me. Ok so he was having difficulty with this command? "The data pack included this command right?"

"Yes it did. He recognizes the gesture but like a human dog he may not want to follow a command. Try it again."

"Bob lay down!" I gestured again.

He still didn't do it.

Well damn guess I had to bribe him like a human dog too. I grabbed some treat pellets from my subspace and held one up in front of him. His optics immediately zoomed in on the treat. "Bob lay down!"

This time he complied. "Good boy!" I gave him the treat eliciting a happy click from him.

"Stay." Turning on my heel, I walked away to the other side of the room. Bob stayed right where I had left him. "Good boy."

We ran through another half dozen commands such as shake, and roll over. I wasn't really sure what other commands Bob understood. If there even were any.

"Ok Clare that's enough for now. When we have our next session we will practice Bob's attack commands."

I blinked. "Optimus and dad let you install attack commands?"

"You are his Alpha so he won't attack you. I guess that they figured it was safe enough."

Just don't question it. "Ok. Well I'll take him with me for now."

"Ok. I will see you later then."

The twins, who had stood watching from the door straightened when I made my way over to them with Bob on my back. "Do you guys want to go refuel?"

"Sure."

Sunny offered me a lift up onto his shoulder. Together the three of us plus Bob made our way to the rec room.

Bee was there with Sam, Mikeala, Ironhide, and Optimus all of them sitting at a table near the dispensers. They waved us over to join them, Sunny sitting me on the table before he went to get us some energon.

Sam was looking at me weirdly, or more specifically Bob's helm which was peeking over my shoulder. "What is that?"

"Oh this is Bob. He's my insecticon pet."

"A what? Insecticon pet?"

"Yup! He's just like a cute little puppy." I cooed.

"He is kind of cute." Mikeala commented. "Can I pet him?"

"Sure. Bob play nice!" I warned him before I put him down in front of Mikeala. "He hasn't bit anybot but he also hasn't been around many humans yet so be careful."

She hardly seemed to be paying attention to me. "You remind me of my little Bones!"

Little? Bones was a fragging giant dog! Actually he wasn't too much bigger than Bob in truth.

"Another fan of Bob?" Sunny commented as he sat down with our energon.

I shrugged. "He's cute. Femmes like cute." I sipped at my energon while I watched Mikeala and Sam interact with Bob. The latter seemed reluctant to touch him but Bob kept persisting in butting him with his helm in a demand for attention.

"So what was that with you and the new femme earlier?" Ironhide asked gruffly. "We could hear you two hissing at each other from across the hangar."

My mood turned sour instantly. All optics turned towards me beside the twins cause they were already staring...well Sam and Mikeala didn't have optics so yeah...

"You were fighting with that white femme? We saw her a few minutes ago...she seemed snobbish."

"Tell me about it." I muttered. "She introduces herself then she starts being an indignant bitch. So I started running my mouth back. It's probably a good thing that opi broke it up otherwise I might've gotten stepped on."

"We wouldn't have let her hurt you." Sides frowned at me.

"Besides she was just slagged off that you hit her right where it hurts all without ever touching her. Shimmer never did do well with losing any sort of contest." Sunny added.

"What did she say?" Mikeala pressed, Bob left forgotten to pester Sam instead. She scooted closer to me on her knees.

"Well she said some things about them playing me. Then when I told her that they weren't she said that they had to be because they played all femmes."

Mikeala gasped. "No! What did you say to her?"

"Well I said that just because they dumped her didn't mean that they were going to do it to every femme. Then I told her that she was just jealous because the only reason they would give her another chance would be to play her again."

"Oooh someone was pissed!"

"Oh it gets better! Then she says that they would give her a chance because she's a good frag, and then she went on to say that I was probably too small to even be mounted by them."

"Wow... Didn't you say that Ratchet said it was perfectly possible for you three to be physically compatible?"

"Yeah he did, and it's true. Well anyways it really pissed me off and before I even knew what I was saying I told her that if I was a mech I'd rather screw somebot with some tread left, not somebot that had been had by everybot and their creator. Then I asked her if the mechs she fragged just fell in."

Mikeala busted out laughing hysterically. "That...oh my god that was perfect! Who knew you could be so vicious?"

"Sam." I deadpanned.

"It's true." Sam agreed. "I swear that she's bi polar or something because she can go from being the nicest person ever to being a complete raging psycho."

"I am not a psycho! Things just piss me off a lot."

He gave me a deadpan look. "Exactly."

"Well if you didn't steal my candy all the time I wouldn't glue you to things!"

"I didn't steal it mom did! And that's a total lie! Remember that time that you glued me to my chair in art class and I had to be cut out of my pants?!"

Mikeala and I both spluttered out a laugh. "Yes I do! You were wearing Superman undies that day too! And I'm pretty sure that you did do something to warrant that prank!"

"What could warrant you doing that to me? Everyone saw my underwear! Do you know how badly I got teased for that?"

"Yes."

"And you feel absolutely no remorse! What would you do if I glued you into your seat in the middle of class? What if you had to get cut out of your pants?"

"I would hit you with something even worse later." I shrugged. "At one point I was entertaining hanging you from the flagpole by your underwear when you went around telling everyone that I was on my period."

"That was because you glued me to my chair!" Sam protested.

"How did we get from the conversation pertaining to what's her name and you fighting, to an all out prank war at school?"

We both ignored Mikeala completely. "You don't go around telling guys about stuff like that Sam it's not cool! And it reminds me that I have to get you back for that!"

He gaped at me. "That was in like seventh grade!"

"Yes and I have to get the perfect revenge for it! Thank you so much for reminding me!"

"Clare!"

"Sam!" I mocked.

"If I had to get revenge for every time you screw with me I'd never stop getting back at you!"

"Then stop trying and admit defeat!"

"Only if you stop pranking me!"

"Now where's the fun in that?"

"For me? None!"

"Ok. Ok. I promise not to hit you with any socially or physically debilitating pranks from now on."

"Clare!" He whined. "How about no more pranks?"

"Only if you promise to be my slave boy until I move out! That sounds like a fair compromise!"

"No it's not! Not at all because knowing you you'll never move out just so that you have a good excuse to keep using me as your slave!"

"Sam I'm going to move out sometime after I graduate just so that you know!"

"Are you going to move here?" Mikeala butted in before Sam could ask.

"Probably. I mean the main reason I stayed was because of school and family, but Aunt Judy and Uncle Ron are talking about taking a long vacation after we graduate so why not move out?"

"You gonna bunk with Jazz and Prowl?"

"Probably. No sense in taking up an extra room when I can just stay with them right? That or I can go back and forth between their room and the twins room."

"That or you could just move in with us." Sides grinned roguishly. "We wouldn't mind having our beautiful femmefriend bunking with us!"

I blushed when Mikeala awwwed. "Maybe."

"Maybe? What kind of answer is maybe? Are you going to move in with us after graduation or not?"

"Isn't that like a huge step when we haven't even been together for a year? I mean you might as well ask to marry me or something while you're at it." I rambled before blushing worse when I realized what I said. "Never mind!"

Mikeala grinned at me. "Aww Clare! You want to mar-mmph!" I slapped my servo over her mouth to shut her up.

My spark was hammering in my chassis a thousand miles and hour, the small orb of energy jumping around like a ping pong ball. I winced in discomfort. It had never been this bad before! Maybe I should go see Ratchet to have him scan me in case something was wrong?

"Marriage is the human bonding ceremony right?"

"Yes it is Sideswipe. We exchange vows and rings in a binding ceremony." Mikeala had a devious glint in her eyes as she explained it to him.

"But don't a lot of humans just divorce or whatever? I mean it doesn't seem very binding to me when, if both are unhappy they can just sign a paper and be done with each other. Our form of bonding is permanent, as in there is no divorce or separation. The bond is forever, even after death. When both bonded die they are still together in death."

"Wow that is really something."

"Yeah. Two sparks need to be compatible with one another to form the bond though."

I wasn't looking at him but I sensed his optics trained on the back of my helm. My spark jumped again, tugging at me. It was becoming uncomfortable.

Yes a visit to Ratchet was in order.

Sam turned to stare at me when I stood to jump off the table. "Where are you going Clare?"

"Uhhh to see Ratchet real quick. I need to ask him something. After I'm done I'll come find you." Without waiting for a response I leapt onto the floor and left the rec room, half expecting the twins to follow me.

They didn't though allowing me to make the trek to the med bay quickly.

Ratchet was there sorting some medical supplies when I arrived. "Oh Clare what are you doing back here? You aren't scheduled to be back until early tomorrow morning."

"Umm I need to ask you something important..."

He ushered me onto the nearest berth quickly, pulling out several tools just in case something was indeed wrong with me. "What is wrong femme?"

"My spark..."

His expression changed to one of alarm. "Are you experiencing intense pain in your spark? Has it stopped functioning at all lately?"

"No nothing like that."

He sighed in relief. "What is it then?"

"It...beats really fast sometimes..." I rubbed at the still rapidly thrumming ball of energy through my chassis. "It feels like it's pulling at me sometimes and it has been getting uncomfortable lately."

The room suddenly became deadly silent.

Then... "Spark calling." Ratchet muttered.

"Spark calling?"

"Spark calling is a state where your spark recognizes that it has found a compatible mate. It responds by calling out for the spark it is compatible with, this often feels like a tugging sensation."

My jaw dropped all the way to the floor. "WHAT?! YOU MEAN I FOUND A SUITABLE MATE?"

"Or mates. Generally a certain level of affection is needed between two bots to even be able to tell is sparks are drawn to one another, but it is possible to have the draw towards a bot that you do not know well. It is rare however."

I got what he was saying. "Umm it would only act up when I'm close to the bot or bots right?"

"Generally yes. Who were you around when this happened?"

"Ironhide, Optimus, Bee, Bob, Sam, Mikeala, and the twins."

"Excluding Ironhide, and Optimus who are bonded along with Bob who is incapable of bonding...that would leave Bee or the twins. A simple scan will tell us which."

"You aren't going to...like tell them right away are you? Whoever it is I mean..." I was pretty sure that it was the twins though. At least I hoped it was.

"No that is up to you to discuss with whoever it is in private. If it is the twins just keep in mind Clare that the odds of a spark being compatible with split spark twins is very low. If for some reason you find another bot to bond with the twins will most likely not be able to find another femme for a very long time, if at all."

"I know."

"Shall I call them in first? Or Bee?"

"The twins. But what if they ask why they're being called in?"

"I will tell them that it is none of their business."

Oh yeah that would completely stop any sort of questioning Ratchet. Definitely. If anything it would probably make them even more curious than before. "You can't come up with anything better than that?"

He sighed. "A surprise post patrol/mission checkup?"

"That sounds better."

He nodded before calling the twins to the med bay.

Both of them entered the med bay only moments later. When they saw me sitting on a berth they looked worried.

"I need to do a checkup on you two. Sit on that berth there."

They shared a look before both of them hopped onto the berth. I didn't really need Ratchet's scan to know that my spark was drawn to their's, for as soon as they stepped into the room it sped up with a sharp tugging sensation.

Ratchet did a quick scan of both of them before looking over the results. Both twins were watching me steadily while he did so.

A comm. link pinged on my HUD from Ratchet... I opened it with trepidation.

**:My results confirm that you three have a very compatible spark wavelength. Stronger than most I have seen.:**

My breath left me in a sharp exhale. **:Do...you think they can feel it too?:**

**:Yes I do. Your sparks have spent enough time in each others presence to recognize that they are strongly compatible. If they did not feel if I would be very surprised.: **

**:Is it going to keep pulling until I bond to them or something? Sometimes it hurts a little.:**

**:Yes it will. If you are not yet ready to bond I suggest interfacing to lessen the pull. It will only be a temporary solution until you decide to bond though.: **

**:Ok...I'll talk to them about it soon. I just need some time to think. Thanks Ratchet.:**

**:You are welcome youngling.: **

When I came back to both twins were right in front of me, Ratchet was saying something to them that I didn't catch. I had the sense that they were waiting for me to say something.

"So how did your checkup go?"

"Fine. What were you in here for?"

"Oh I needed to ask Ratchet about something pertaining to the lesson earlier. I figured that I would wait for you two to be finished with your checkup."

Neither said anything for a moment. They just stared at me.

"So uhhh since you're done do you want to go watch a movie or something?"

"Sure sweet."

Sides offered me his arm so that I could crawl up onto his shoulder. Once I was settled the three of us left the med bay.

My thoughts would be quite busy for some time due to this development. I mean, I was happy about it. Ridiculously so. But it wasn't exactly a situation that living as a human for most of my life had prepared me for.

This wasn't a, **'if we bond we can always break it off if we decide later that we don't like each other'** thing. It was a, **'this is a forever thing as in no separation or divorce. It's forever.' **It was quite indimidating for me to think about.

What if the twins didn't want me for any other reason than for the sole fact that we were compatible? Was that why they hadn't said anything to me about the pull on their spark? Were they afraid of fully commiting to me?

What if they only wanted me because they were worried that they couldn't find anybot else? Was that why they hadn't said anything? Did they only want to keep me close in case they couldn't find another to bond with? Was I like a fall back?

No. The twins wouldn't do that to me.

I would talk to them about it later... Prom night. I would ask them to tell me how they really felt about me.

A shiver of anxiety coursed through me...

I was looking forward to it just as much as I was nervous about it now.

For now I would enjoy their presence until that day came.

Soon...

* * *

R&amp;R! There will be a lemon next chapter! Big things are going to happen then we are going to progress into the next movie! I hoped that you like the smut/romance in this one because it is going to pick up next chappie. **:D Time for reviews!**

**TerrorTwinEpicness- **Do you have another nosebleed now? XD!

**Sorana3-** Damn creepers! Lol yeah Mikeala and Flareup just tell it straight XD! Thanks for the review!

**himelove22- **Yup they'll make a big deal about V-day every year!

**DarkshadowXsunny-sides- **:D Go Clare! Go Clare! RAWR!

**CastielLunaWinchester- **Yeah Flareup! YESSS! That's just how I see her being! Just go for it girl!

**Coolgal02- **Maybe...maybe soon! XD! My jaw was hanging too and I wrote it!

**Izzy-dragon-rider- **That's how I normally do my lemons and limes. Strong and lemony! And yeah he finally got to do his thing with her! LOL!

**Moonlightdeer- **Ha ha! Mine were stained red for a while after I wrote it!


	29. Chapter 29

So I decided to just pick a dress and skip the actual shopping part. I'll put the link in my profile so that you guys can look at it! There's going to be a lot going on in this chapter including a lemon! I will mark it with a caption in case you want to skip it! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

I stood staring at myself in my dark blue, short, one shoulder Prom dress. It had a see through sequined beaded strap going over my right shoulder, back, and coming down from my right side to cover my midriff before cutting off on my left thigh. It was definitely something that I would not have normally worn. But I wanted tonight to be special for the twins and I. I wanted to look sexy and elegant.

My hair was done up in a neat up-do with loose curls framing each side of my face. Mikeala and I had gone out to a salon to get our hair and makeup done, even our nails were done up in french mani/pedis. It was definitely an experience for me to allow someone to do my nails...

We both had smokey eye shadow, for me I had silver eyeshadow with black eyeliner on. Mikeala had a darker shade of gray for eyeshadow, and the same color eyeliner on. I had light pink lipstick on, where she had dark red.

Now that I was done up I stood here in my room staring at myself in the mirror that Mikeala had brought up here for the occasion. Tonight was going to be big not just because of Prom either, but because I was going to tell the twins about what Ratchet had told me.

About us being compatible mates. I didn't know how they would take it all. All I wanted was for them to be happy about it.

But I was also prepared for if they ended up feeling unduly pressured by my confession. It was a normal feeling when someone said something that could possibly mean serious commitment especially for males, or in this case mechs. If they needed time I would give them that. I wouldn't stop loving them either.

"Clare are you ready yet? Sides and Sunstreaker just got here! Get down here so we can take pictures!" Mikeala called up to me.

Taking a deep breath I steadied myself before I left my room to head down the stairs. The first people I saw...bots I saw were the twins standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for me. Their eyes lit up upon seeing me walking towards them. It made me feel giddy.

Both of them took a hand each once I descended the last step.

Sides brought my hand to his lips to press a gentle kiss to it. "You look gorgeous sweetspark."

"Thank you. I figured that you would like the short dress you perv." I laughed.

"Oh I do." He waggled his brows at me suggestively.

"Might have to pry it off of you later." Sunny added in an equally suggestive tone.

"But first we have this for you!"

Sides pulled a white corsage out from behind his back. Together he and Sunny slipped it onto my wrist as was tradition. A camera flash went off as my Aunt took several pictures of us together. I was sure that opi and dad were doing the same.

My silver heels clicked against the hardwood floor as the twins moved me to pose for the pictures. One standing on each side of me with an arm wrapped around my waist, another few pictures with me pressed back to front with each of them, and some more with me facing them with my arms wrapped around their necks. Aunt Judy certainly loved her pictures and she gushed the whole time.

Her and Uncle Ron quickly moved to take pictures of Sam and Mikeala next leaving the twins and I standing there with dad and opi. They snapped some more pictures for themselves while we waited.

After another few kliks Aunt Judy finally finished with taking their pictures before ushering us out of the house.

Before we were all safely inside our respective rides she called out. "And remember to have safe sex tonight! No parking on my lawn! Use a condom! Or maybe several if you're feeling extra frisky!"

I blushed horribly as I got into Sunny's alt while said twin chuckled. Sides probably had too knowing him. Sunny didn't really give me much of a chance to think about it before he buckled me in and pulled out.

To everyone else in our neighborhood watching a brand new Camaro leading two shiny Lamborghinis down the street must have been quite the sight. I didn't allow myself to think much on it during the drive to the Hotel where Prom was taking place.

It was like the fragging plaza Hotel or something! No wonder Prom tickets were so freaking expensive! The building was huge and elegant looking. I had never seen it before.

It was also very freaking crowded by all the students clambering to get in. Sunny popped up in the seat beside me offering to carry the little overnight bag that I had packed containing my pajamas, change of underwear, outfit for tomorrow, and my other necessities.

You got that right we got our own rooms to stay in for the night! However if my conversation with the twins went like I was hoping it did then I doubted that we would end up staying.

Everything that Ratchet had warned us about came to mind as we exited Sunny's alt to make our way inside. He had said that interfacing for the first time in real form would be much more painful than using holoform. But for some reason I didn't want my first time with them to be in anything but our real forms. In fact if they asked I would refuse. I knew what I wanted. I knew that it would probably be more painful than pleasurable, but I still wanted it to be like that.

Both of them walked on either side of me through the entryway and into the ballroom. Bass shook the walls and floor from the speakers. If I recalled the song right it was Rolling in the Deep by Aretha Franklin.

When we stepped into the room it was beyond crowded. A mass of students were rocking together on the dance floor, some were meandering near the refreshment table, others were lingering around the sitting tables around the room.

Mikeala led us all over to a secluded table in a corner far away from everyone else, obviously having Sunny in mind when she made her choice. We all sat down there.

"Let's go get something to drink Clare." Mikeala prompted me out of nowhere.

I blinked but stood to follow her regardless. Knowing her she wanted to pry or something.

"So what are the plans after the dance is over?"

I smiled nervously knowing instinctively that I could trust Mikeala. We were best friends after all. "Well I think that tonight is the night."

She turned to me in surprise. "Really? You want to go all the way with them? Are you a hundred percent sure that you're ready?"

"Yes I am...and well Ratchet told me something really encouraging last weekend."

"What did he say?"

We stopped near the refreshment table to fill up some plates and cups with punch, some for our dates as well. I leaned in close to her ear so that no one else could hear us. "He said that we have a very compatible spark wavelength which means that we can become sparkmates."

She gasped. "You're going to tell them that too right?"

"Yeah. I'm kind of nervous though...I mean that's like a serious thing. Like real commitment and all. I mean we're all still pretty young so what if they want to hold out or something? Ratchet did say that split spark twins had a very low compatible spark ratio but... Well the last thing that I want is for them to bond with me because they feel like there's nobot else out there for them."

"Clare those two idiots love the fuck out of you." Mikeala grinned. "Have you seen how many times they've glared at passing boys that have stared at you for more than a second already? They're deliciously possessive. I doubt that you have anything to worry about."

"I know that Mikeala...I'm just nervous."

"I'd tell you not to be but this is a big thing, and I doubt that you could be not worried about it. But Clare just tell them how you feel! Tell them that you just want them to know how much you love them! Then tell them that you won't pressure them to respond right away! Give them the choice to either return your feelings or not. I bet you they will."

Her words did make me feel better about the situation. All I could do was tell them and hope for the best! "Thanks Mikeala."

"No problem! Now let's head back because I can see your eyecandies glaring at every male around the ballroom like they're going to hit on you!" She joked.

I laughed and together we made our way back to the table where our dates were all sitting. Sides was chatting quietly with Sam when we approached, he looked up at me appraisingly. "What took you two so long?"

He offered me the seat between him and Sunny. "I was talking to Mikeala about girl stuff."

"Girl stuff?"

"Mmm hmmm." I offered him my cup of to take a drink out of as I munched on some of my little snack cakes. He snatched some off of my plate too.

My curls fluttered against his shoulder as I leaned my head on him comfortably. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and kissed my forehead.

Mikeala tugged a protesting Sam to his feet. "We're going to head out to the dance floor for a few. Are you guys gonna come?"

Sides perked up. "Yeah. Come on sweet." He tugged me to my feet quickly. "Are you coming too Sunny?"

Sunny rose with a grunt. "Like I'm going to sit here with those organic femmes staring at me."

Organic femmes staring at him? I followed his disgruntled gaze over to a nearby table where a familiar group of girls were sitting. Lauren and her groupies. Cheerleaders, preppy, bitchy, uppity, snobbish. Lauren, the leader was a tall blonde with light blue eyes and a big chest. Every guy in school that was worth talking about had banged her at least once and they made no bones about bragging about it. Neither did she. For some reason she thought that being everyone's used goods was something to be proud of.

If she tried to touch my Sunny or Sides some major slag was going to go down! I huffed, meeting her eyes squarely I leaned up and pulled Sunny into a heated kiss, then when I released him I turned and did the same to Sides.

She glared at me in response causing me to lift my chin defiantly at her.

"Oooh somebot's possessive!" Sides grinned.

"She's a freaking ho! Her daddy is rich so she thinks she has to have whatever she wants even other girls boyfriends. I dare her to come over here and try something with you two cuz I will so level her ass." I hissed.

"Now sweet we aren't allowed to harm humans." Sides reminded me amusedly. Glad he was getting so much enjoyment out of this.

"We aren't allowed to kill them...maiming is a completely different story."

Both mechs shared a quick look before pushing me towards where Mikeala and Sam were dancing near the edge of the dance floor.

Post to Be by Omarion started playing when we stepped onto the floor. My bad mood lessened a good deal! I loved this song! I could go from listening to Slipknot repeatedly to listening to this song on repeat!

I instantly started swaying to the beat of the song. Screw Lauren! No one was going to ruin the night for me! I pulled my mechs over to dance with me, showing them what pace to move at for the song. Sides was a better dancer in truth, but Sunny wasn't bad either.

I ended up cushioned in a three way bot sandwich with me in the middle. Both of them rocked against me, hands running over my body while I gyrated my hips against Sides' thigh. He was giving me a heated look as his hands ran down over my ass.

**'I might let your boy chauffer me! But he gotta eat the booty like it's groceries!' **

I busted out laughing when both twins went wide eyed at that part. I loved that freaking line! Every time I listened to the song I sang along with that part! This time was no different either and both of them looked at me in amusement.

The next song came on, Uptown Funk by Mark Ronson featuring Bruno Mars. Not missing a beat in my movements, I spun around to face Sunny for this song. Sides pressed himself flush against my back while I grinded against Sunny. I looped my arms around his neck and undulated against him suggestively.

I didn't know where the sudden confidence boost came from but hey I was having fun so might as well go with it right? Neither twin was complaining about what I was doing either. They looked to be enjoying themselves.

We danced through at least a dozen more songs such as, 7/11 by Beyonce which I hadn't heard before, another one that I hadn't heard called Right Now by Mary J. Blige, Time of Our Lives By Pitbull ft. Ne-Yo, Go All Night by Gorgon City Ft. Jennifer Hudson, Elastic Heart by Sia, and a bunch of other ones that I hadn't heard.

By the time we finally went for a small break I was covered in a thin sheen of sweat. All of us, including Mikeala and Sam sat down for a drink and breather.

"Wow you really let loose out there Clare." Mikeala grinned.

"Might as well have fun right? It is Prom." I shrugged after popping a snack cake into my mouth. "By the way who's up for King and Queen? Not that I really care but if it's Lauren you know she's going to win and when that happens I'm going to head up to my room so that I don't gag when she gets on stage."

"Yes it is Lauren, and since it's her the other candidates don't really matter. As for the King Trent is a candidate, along with half of the football team. I'm not really interested in any of it either." She admitted sourly.

At that moment loud obnoxious laughter interrupted our conversation. We all looked over to where Lauren was now sitting on Trent's lap giggling like a banshee. Ewww.

"Can you believe that she actually showed up with that thing?" She asked obnoxiously. Her eyes slanted over at Sam and Mikeala letting us all know that she was talking about him.

My temper instantly ignited causing me to stand up and march over to her table. "You know what Lauren why don't you just shut that tramp mouth of your's ok? Or better yet why don't you just go stuff a dirty cock in it like it's your fucking job. It is all that you're good at after all! I mean no one would ever be seriously interested in you for your _'amazing personality' _you two bit slut."

"What did you just say to me?!" She practically screeched.

"You heard exactly what I said! I mean here you are on a different guy's lap every five seconds when all of them are only into your for your daddy's money! Or maybe they're into your for that fake ass chest of your's? Mikeala may have landed a nerd, but at least he cares about her for who she is! Can you say that a guy has ever liked you for any reason outside of sex? Ummm no I don't think so! So shut your damn mouth and stop talking trash!"

With a huff I dismissed her to walk back to our table. "Stupid bitch." I muttered once I was settled in my chair. "What?" I asked when everyone just stared at me.

"You just defended me." Sam murmured in awe. "This has never happened before."

"Yes it has! Why do you think that you don't get bullied that bad? Because I'm always telling everyone off when you aren't around. Besides I don't like her! I don't like how she looks down at everyone else for either being poor or what she considers unattractive. The world doesn't have to revolve around how everyone looks! When she's old and wrinkly and used up she'll see that for herself. And at this rate with all the plastic surgery she has had it'll happen sooner rather than later. In fact I bet she'll end up looking like Mick Jagger at some point."

I snorted. "And anyone that sees Trent as a prime catch is just pathetic. Can we say steroid winky?"

Mikeala laughed. "Oh my god! He definitely isn't huge if that's what you're insinuating!"

"Eww I did not want to know that!"

"Me either." Sam muttered.

"She made the comment, I just responded in the affirmative. Maybe that's why his sexual performance was always lacking?"

"MIKEALA! OH MY GOD! YOU'RE DATING MY COUSIN WHO HAPPENS TO BE SITTING NEXT TO YOU WHILE YOU TALK ABOUT FUCKING ANOTHER GUY!"

"Well it's true!" She defended herself. "Even Sam is bigg-"

I covered my ears with my hands childishly. "Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala! I'm not listening! I'm not listening! Lalalalalalalalalalalala! Do not want to know about my cousin's weenis! Please forgo the conversation about his genitals! Lalalalalalalalalalalalalalala!"

"Ok! Ok! I won't comment again!"

"Thank God..."

"If you tell me about-"

"Lalalalalalalalalalalalalala! DO NOT ASK ME WHAT I THINK YOU'RE ABOUT TO ASK ME! DO NOT DO IT!"

"Ok! Jeez I was just joking!"

The guys were remaining completely silent throughout our conversation. "Ok now that that conversation is over are we going to dance more or what? I'm actually hungry! Like not in the mood for snack cakes hungry!"

"They moved the entree bar out." Mikeala pointed over to the other side of the room where people were standing in line to get their plates. "Do you want to go get some?"

"Yes! They better have some steak left otherwise I'm going to go she hulk on everyone in this room!"

"Well we better go then! Come on Sam!"

I turned to the twins. "Are you gonna come or do you just want to wait?"

Sides stood to take my hand in his. "I'll come. Sunny wants to wait since he doesn't eat human food."

"Ok. We'll be back in a few Sunny." Leaning down, I kissed him goodbye several times.

Sides had to tug me over to the bar where we got in line behind Mikeala and Sam. Ewww they were making out too! I shuddered before burying my face into Sides' shoulder so that I didn't have to see it! He chuckled at me before wrapping his arms around me.

The line moved every klik or so with Sides tugging me along to follow. "Are they still making out?" I asked right after we moved up again.

"Yes." Sides snickered. "I think that Mikeala is trying to teach Sam how to kiss the way she likes. I do have to admit that he's quite fervent...if not a little clumsy."

"You think that it's funny don't you?"

"Yes I do."

It was quiet between us after that until we finally made it to the entree buffet. I got my steak yay! I also loaded up with some mashed potatoes and gravy, mac&amp;cheese, and some sweet peas. Sides got what I got, probably since he couldn't eat a lot of it. Most of our chatter was him asking what was good and what wasn't. In the end he just copied me.

"Oh shit..." Mikeala suddenly cussed.

What? My eyes followed the direction of her gaze...and my jaw promptly snapped shut with my sudden rage. Because I know that that stupid bitch was not hanging all over Sunny!

Most would be consoled by the fact that he looked pissed that she was touching him, but not me. I wasn't mad at him! That stupid bitch was the sole target of my rapidly growing rage! So that was how she wanted to play? Fine! I would play her game until she ended up crying!

I started in the direction of our table without waiting for anyone to follow me. My steps were smooth and firm, predatory even. My plan was simple...

Sam, Mikeala, and Sides were trying to stop me, most likely because they thought I was going to assault her physically. No I wasn't going to do that! That could turn around to bite me in the ass later. No what I had in mind was going to humiliate her, but it wouldn't hurt me.

Sunny looked up with a frustrated expression when I closed in on them.

So did Lauren only her expression was smug.

That didn't last long when I feigned tripping so that I could toss my plate all over her pretty cinderella dress. She screeched in outrage when steak juice, mashed potatoes, gravy, and mac&amp;cheese made a multicolored food mess all over her dress.

"Oh my gosh I am so sorry! I'm not used to walking in heels!" I feigned being apologeteic as well.

She was too worried about her dress to pay me anymore attention outside of threatening me or cussing at me.

"You stupid bitch! How dare you do this to me!"

"It was an accident!"

"How am I supposed to accept the crown wearing this?!"

"Wear a table cloth over it." I tried not to laugh as I suggested it.

She screamed once more in outrage before she turned and stormed away.

All of us, even Sunny, started laughing when she stormed away food littering the floor after her. That'll teach her to make a move on my mechs!

I stopped laughing when I saw her grab some food off of her plate to throw at me. She chucked it at me forcing me to duck down to avoid it hitting me. Instead it landed with a splat on some other girl who was walking by.

"What the fuck?!" She shrieked when her dress ended up ruined as well.

Looking back and forth I pointed at Lauren who was staring at us in shock. "She did it."

The new girl growled before grabbing some food off of the plate in her hands and chucking it back at Lauren. I had to duck down to avoid that too.

Lauren shrieked again when she was once again pelted with food. Not only her either! One of her friends who had been returning for a drink ended up being pelted with potatoes as well. She too screamed in rage before she chucked more food back at the new girl.

"Oh shit! Run!" I turned tail to avoid another shower of gravy and potatoes. Unfortunately I ended up being splattered in the back with a big glob of it. "Ahhhhh NOOOOO!" I started laughing anyways despite the fact that my dress could be ruined.

Spinning around, I grabbed another handful of potatoes off of the plate Sides was holding to let loose on the other girls. My aim was kind of bad though so it ended up hitting Trent who had come back with his own plate.

He wiped gravy off of his scowling face... Then shit started going down!

"FOOD FIGHT!" Someone shouted.

Almost immediately food went flying in every direction! Almost everyone joined in too! Minus Sunny who flipped the table over to protect himself from the flying globs. Jeez! It wasn't like he couldn't just reset his holoform later!

I crept up on him, mac&amp;cheese in hand before bringing it down on his head with a laugh.

"Clare!" He bellowed in outrage. The sound echoed by Sides who started laughing hysterically at what I had just done.

I turned and ran out from behind the table, dodging both the food flying through the air and Sunny who was now chasing me. This had to be considered the Prom of the century in Tranquility! No the Prom of the ages! Everyone was covered in food, staff were desperately trying to get control of the situation, people were chasing each other like animals, girls were wrestling in piles of potatoes and gravy on the floor while guys cheered. NOW THIS WAS A PROM!

And Sunny was chasing me like a bull chasing after the flag waving guy...I couldn't remember what they were called. Sides was chasing along right behind him as well.

We circled around the whole room before I stopped near the entree bar where I grabbed more potatoes and flung them into Sunny's face.

"CLARE!" He tackled me to the floor where we rolled around in another potato puddle.

"SUNNY MY DRESS!" I shrieked even if I didn't really care.

A genuine grin overtook his features as he dumped more potatoes into my hair making me shriek in surprise. "Turnabout is fair play baby!" He started smearing it all over my face playfully.

"Noooo! Sides help me!"

Instead of helping me Sides started piling food goop all over both of us! Sunny rolled to use me as a shield eliciting a startled cry from me. "Sunny you aft!" I screamed. "Sides no!"

"Sorry sweet but-" He was cut off when a huge glob of potatoes smacked into the back of his head hard enough to make him stumble! Jeez what did they have a real strength medieval potato catapult?

It hit him hard enough that he slipped on the slick floor and collaped onto me. More gunk was smeared all over the front of my dress, gravy dripped onto my face. Our eyes met. I laughed at how ridiculous he looked covered in potatoes and gravy.

He grinned at me. "This was more fun than I was expecting."

I leaned up to kiss him. "Mmmm hmmm. All thanks to me."

We were all a mess...I scooped some potatoes off of Sides' red hair to taste it. "Mmm! It's too bad that the food ended up all over the walls and floor! This is really good!"

Both of them chuckled.

Laying here pinned between them caused me to remember what I needed to talk to them about. Maybe now was the best time to do that? We were all in a good mood so maybe it would help steer the situation in my favor?

Only one way to find out. "Do you guys wanna go up to the room for a bit?"

"Sure. Might as well see it before the Hotel kicks us all out." Sides grinned before he stood to help me up.

Sunny stood as well, the three of us making our way out of the ballroom quickly. We took the elevator to the top floor where our room was. It was actually a two room suite that Mikeala and I were sharing, it was also the reason why Prom tickets were so damn expensive.

When we reached the suite we headed to the room we were sharing. Once there I went into the bathroom to take a quick shower to wash all of the food off of my skin and hair. I did so quickly before wrapping a fuzzy white robe around myself.

My dress was ruined...stained with food. So much for spending all that money on it. I stared at it for a moment, partly in contemplation about that fact, and partly to calm myself down.

Looking up at my reflection in the mirror I slapped my cheeks a few times to prep myself for what could be a very good or bad conversation. I took one more moment to steady myself before I finally walked back into the room.

Both twins were on the bed completely clean with new tuxes on. I plopped onto the bed between them. "Well the dress that I just spent a few hundred dollars on is ruined."

"Well it was only for this one occasion right?" Sunny reasoned.

"Well I bought it for Prom but I could have worn it for other things if I wanted to." I twiddled my thumbs in my lap nervously. What was I doing making unimportant small talk when I came in here to talk to them about...us being able to spark bond? Stalling...I was stalling.

"Is something bothering you sweetspark?"

My head snapped up. "W-Why would you think that?" I stammered.

Sides smirked. "Well because you're messing around with your fingers like you tend to do when you get nervous. That and you're chewing on your bottom lip which happens to be another nervous habit or your's. All that leads me to believe that you are in fact nervous about something."

I huffed. "Well aren't you smart?"

"I try. So what's bothering you? You brought us up here to talk right?"

"N-No." I denied weakly. WHAT THE FRAG WAS I DOING?!

"Right..." He drawled in a slightly sarcastic tone. "You know that you can talk to us right? Whatever is bothering you, you can tell us it doesn't matter what it is."

Sunny nodded when I turned to look at him.

A few more moment passed in silence while I chewed on my bottom lip nervously. They knew that something was bothering me so there was no point lying about it. Somehow I got the feeling that they would demand answers even if I did say that it was nothing. It would also probably bother them if I felt that I couldn't talk to them about something. I mean we were always honest with each other, talking when we needed to... Just...how do I tell them?

Some part of me just demanded that I blurt it out! Another part was scared shitless about even saying anything at all. I was torn up inside.

My voice was soft and reluctant when I finally did work up the courage to start speaking. "Well...I was not being entirely truthful about the reason that I went to see Ratchet that day in the med bay..."

"We kind of figured that..." Sides admitted.

The fact that they knew I wasn't being entirely truthful made me feel kind of bad. "Well I had some issues that I needed to talk to him about..."

Sunny interjected suddenly. "You're not unwell are you?"

"No! No! I'm perfectly healthy!" I reassured him. "It wasn't like...a bad thing. I mean I don't think it is..." Now I just sounded stupid!

They listened to my rambling without commenting. For some reason that made me even more nervous! "You know what? Never mind!"

Aww man I pussied out! Dammit!

"I don't think this is a never mind kind of situation Clare." Sides commented. "Whatever you dragged us up here to talk about has to be important to make you act like this. Just tell us already."

"Mmm mmm!" My nerve was already long gone... No way was I going to be able to just say it now.

Sunny sighed in frustration. "Femme..."

I shook my head rapidly. Another frustrated sigh, then I felt myself being pushed onto the mattress with Sunny straddling me.

"Femme we aren't the most patient mechs around. You know this." He told me seriously. "Whatever is on your processor is big, and we'd rather not wait until later to find out what's bothering you. Talk." He commanded.

My nervousness kicked up another notch making my voice quiver. "I...Ratchet told me that...well my spark was...and he said that..."

"You're rambling."

"Sunny don't be an aft to her!" Sides frowned at his twin. "She's obviously nervous! Let her talk at her own pace!"

"If we do that then we'll be waiting for another vorn!"

I flinched back because of the tone he used and the words. Sunny had a tendency to be the more impatient one in certain situations, and he certainly had less finesse when it came to waiting. I could sense that he was getting frustrated and impatient with me.

What was the worst that could happen? Either they would be happy or less than happy. At least if I said something I would know where we stood right? I would know where I stood with them.

Decision made... "Ratchet said that our sparks were compatible!" I blurted out.

There it was out in the open! They could interperet it however they wanted! They could feel however they wanted about it! But now they knew exactly what was on my processor! He asked...they asked and I answered!

The room fell deadly silent after that, my heavy breathing the only audible sound.

"So let me get this straight..." Sunny started quietly. "Ratchet told you that the three of us were compatible as mates...and you didn't tell us right away?"

When he put it that way it sounded like an accusation! "Yes."

"Why?"

"Because I didn't know what to say... I didn't know how you two would feel about it. It just...was so unexpected that even I needed a few days to think about it."

He narrowed his eyes at me, while Sides shifted beside us. "To think about what? It's not every solar cycle that somebot finds out that they have a compatible mate out there. Unless you were holding out for somebot else?"

My eyes narrowed. "No! I just didn't want to thrust that kind of commitment in your faces!"

"Why not?"

"Because! I didn't want to make you feel pressured into anything!" I snapped. Why was he acting like this?! I was the one that was worried that they might be holding out for another femme, it was not the other way around!

My anger simmered down slightly. I didn't want to be mad at them. I didn't want to yell at them. Nor did I want them to get angry at me.

I sat up slightly forcing him to move back a little bit to give me room. "I was nervous ok? It wasn't that I was holding out for a different mech, but I was worried that maybe you hadn't said something because you didn't want to commit to me. I mean Ratchet said that you two should be able to feel the pull too, so I wondered why neither of you said anything? When I thought about it I guess I just assumed that you weren't sure if you wanted me fully or not."

"Ratchet told me that the percentile of sparks that are compatible with split sparks is very low..."

"It's ok sweetspark, we understand what you were thinking."

"No you probably don't, not all of what I was thinking at least. Because when I thought about it the thought of walking away never crossed my mind. Even knowing that finding another mech would be a lot easier for me than it would be for you to find another femme bot. I was thinking that even if I found another compatible mech I wouldn't want them. I was thinking that even if you were only keeping me around because we're compatible it wouldn't, it would probably hurt, but I would still stay because I genuinely love both of you."

"And well I was a little scared... I wasn't raised as a bot you know? I didn't know about bonds like this before. And I didn't even really contemplate marriage before I met you guys... But even if I had the option of divorce would've been there if both parties decided they weren't happy. Spark bonding is completely different...it's a forever thing. What if we do it and you guys decide that you made a mistake? There would be no going back."

"We wouldn't want to take it back."

My head whipped around in Sunny's direction to find him inches from my face. The way he was looking at me right now sent a wave of anticipation through me.

He pressed into me pushing back until I was laying on my back again with both of them hovering over me.

"Just because two sparks are compatible does not mean that both parties have the desire to complete that bond baby. It just means that it's possible. But there can be multiple compatible sparks, so in the end it is a choice that we have to make. If we didn't like you we wouldn't want to bond with you even if it was possible. Compatible spark wavelength does not always equate to compatible personality or love. Do you get what I am saying?"

"Kind of."

He leaned down to kiss me. "We have to choose a mate...and if there were multiple femmes standing in front of us with compatible sparks we would still choose you."

My spark fluttered warmly. "Really?"

"Yes really. You accept us, and we accept you. Why would we want to throw you aside for some other femme? You love us. We love you. What more could we all ask for?"

A small smile spread across my lips. "So you're not mad anymore that I waited to tell you?"

"No." His hands started fumbling with the knot holding my robe shut. "I was frustrated at first but now that I understand your thoughts I'm ok."

He managed to get the knot undone so that he could pull my covering open exposing my nakedness. Both of them leaned in to get a better look.

Hands drifted over my entire body making me sigh. It felt good but I didn't want our first time to be like this. I wanted it to be us, the real us even if it made the physical pain worse.

That was why I pushed Sides' head away from my breast before he could engulf it in his mouth. He pouted at me. "Sweetspark..."

"Let's go back to the base."

"Why?"

"Because I would rather take the next step in my real form not this one. Can't exactly do that here can we?"

Their eyes bugged out of their sockets like a character from a Bugs Bunny cartoon. "Seriously? You want to frag?"

I rolled my eyes. "Well if you insist on putting it that way then yes."

They were off the bed so fast that their bodies almost seemed like a blur of colors. Too fast for me to register it, I was being swept up by Sunny who decided that the fastest way out was through the third story window of our room.

Like they both leapt out of it like freaking monkies, with me barely clad in the Hotel robe. I slammed my eyes shut as we fell to the ground with barely a muted thud. Then they fragging rushed over to their alts like Olympic gold medalists.

I was stuffed into Sunny again before he pulled out with a loud screech of tires.

Ok so I guess they were umm a little eager huh?

I was feeling a multitude of things. Anxiousness, excitement, fear, trepidation...

It only got worse the closer we got to the airport where we would board a cargo plane to get back to base.

Things would be ok. The twins would never hurt me purposefully. Everything would be ok.

* * *

**(Back at base! Lemon starts here!)**

Nobot was around when we finally made it back. Not that either twin cared enough to pay any attention to our surroundings in their mad dash to get to the room.

Once we arrived there I was tossed onto the berth before the doors had even fully slid shut. I barely even had time to change into bot form before my armor was being ripped off by their eager servos.

They stripped down too as I covered my naked protoform in embarrassment. The gravity of the situation was catching up to me, and while I was not considering backing out I was still a nervous virgin.

The huge spikes sitting fully erect between their legs...well they made me gulp nervously. They hadn't been mass shifted yet so they were huge. Like gargantuan. Logically I knew that they would never be stupid enough to try spiking me with those mammoth spikes, but oh frag if they tried I was so going to be destroyed.

Sides slipped up onto the berth first crawling up my right side where he took my servo and moved it down to his spike, which had been mass shifted finally! He gently wrapped both of our servos around it and pumped.

Sunny came up on my other side and did the same. Then both of them slid their servos between my legs to stroke at my own opening and ports. Both of them purring their pleasure as they worked to please me.

I whimpered softly, breath hitching when one of them slid a digit into my opening. Neither had ever stuck anything but their glossa in me before so I instinctively tensed from helm to ped.

"Relax sweetspark." Sides crooned softly. "We have to get you ready to take us otherwise it'll hurt worse."

I took a deep breath and nodded as I resumed stroking them. If I couldn't even handle the small twinge of pain accompanying a single digit then forget an entire spike.

Whoever it was started moving their digit in and out of me. I gasped and arched when the slight pain gave way to intense pleasure after a few strokes. My helm tilted up allowing me to see that it was Sunny moving his wrist back and forth in time with the digit sliding in and out of me.

I fell back against the berth mewling loudly when he started moving it in a circle to stretch me. It felt so good despite the way it stung.

Sides moved his helm down to nip at my chassis and neck cables sending more pleasant tingles through me. He purred against my protoform heightening the sensations of his glossa on me. More soft whimpers and moans were his reward.

A second digit forced its way into my opening making me tense momentarily. A pained whimper escaped me. It was sudden and it stung worse. He moved them in a straight in and out motion until I became more accustomed to it to the point that I started gasping in pleasure.

It was like give and take for me, because within a few moments of the initial pain bleeding away he started spreading his digits to loosen me more. My first response was to make a louder squeal of discomfort.

He stilled. "Do you want to stop?"

"No. No. Just nothing has ever been that deep inside me before. It hurts a little." He hadn't touched my seal because he wouldn't put his digits all the way in. No doubt in my processor that they were long enough to pop it if he did go in all the way.

"I know but it'll make penetrating you with our spikes easier baby. Just give it a few astroseconds and it'll feel good."

"Ok."

He resumed thrusting them in and out of me, alternating between that and scissoring me. After another few kliks the pain did disperse for the most part leaving me to arch into it with pleased moans.

Sides abandoned my chassis to slide down between my legs where he started lapping at my external ports.

My entire form shuddered violently as my hips arched up with an elated cry leaving my vocaliser. I started thrusting my hips upwards into both mechs driving them to touch me more. Both of them growled in pleasure because of my reaction.

They both continued to wreak havoc on my body with their feverish touches, heated growls, warm glossas which were both being used on various parts of me, those digits sliding into me over and over again.

I felt myself quivering in time with the sparks dancing across my frame signaling that my overload was almost upon me. My breaths kept rattling my vents, escaping me in shuddering pants more frequently the closer it got.

Both became more ferocious in what they were doing to me when they sensed its imminent approach. Sides lapping faster at my valve, Sunny driving harder as his glossa teased my chassis before his mouth crashed down onto mine.

Just in time for me to arch screaming as my overload tore through me with the force of a freight train. I arched so hard that only my heels and helm were still touching the berth, screaming so loud that I sounded like I was dying. My clawed toes curled until they dug into me probably drawing energon but the sting only made the pleasure racking me that much more intense.

My frame fell back to the berth with a soft clang once my overload passed. I lay there gasping and panting, completely dazed and out of breath.

Each twin pulled back sharing a look to decide who got to go first most likely. I barely paid any attention to them as I struggled to catch my breath.

Only to lose it in a shuddering gasp when Sides spread my legs completely so that his hips could come to rest between mine. His spike pressed against my entrance, hot, hard, and pulsing with need.

His optics held mine steadily waiting for me to let them know that I was sure about this.

I gulped and nodded. No way was I going to back out now.

He waited for another moment before he started pushing in.

Oh Primus! It fragging felt like I was being shredded from the waist down! I couldn't stop the pained cry that escaped me no matter how hard I tried. He was huge! Larger than life! And he was surging into me before pulling back to surge forward a few inches again.

My claws dug into his arms. He let me cling to him to the point that I drew energon.

I couldn't keep track of how many times he had to give, then push more, then give again. He groaned, I whimpered in pain, he growled in pleasure, I cried out louder when he surged a little farther in breaking my seal in the process. Over and over again we repeated this until finally he was able to sink the rest of the way in.

Short pants racked me as the pain ate away at me. It was almost as bad to me as when Sunny had rolled onto my leg! Sides kissed me to try distracting me from the pain but damn it was intense! I could barely even breathe because of it let alone respond to his kisses.

At least he had the sense to stay still for me, because if he tried to move right away I would have screamed in agony most likely. It was also a good thing that he was just in me, not connected by cables yet because that would only heighten the sensations of pain I was feeling.

"Sweetspark...Do you know how good you feel?" He groaned.

No. No I did not. Did he know how much having him in me fragging hurt?

"You need to relax sweet otherwise it'll keep hurting. Try and breathe for me. I won't move until you tell me I can."

I nodded jerkily before I focused on breathing deep. He was still like he promised me occasionally kissing me gently while I forced myself to try and relax.

Relief came slowly, in increments, in the form of the burning pain lessening bit by bit. Then a soft tingling sensation of just having him in me started to overtake it. I relaxed more, kissing him back as I gave a tentative thrust of my hips.

The burn was still there but so was a wave of pleasure. Sides grunted as I gasped softly. He still didn't move an inch while I experimented with several more soft thrusts. I doubted that the burn would fade fully but the pleasure was overtaking it steadily.

"You can move now Sides. Just be gentle please."

He nodded.

His cables plugged into my ports creating another brief stinging sensation. Then after giving me another few astroseconds to adjust he gave the first gentle thrust of his powerful hips.

We both moaned in pleasure, the sensation unlike anything I had ever imagined. He repeated his gentle thrusting several more times to get us both used to it, me to his size, him to get used to what was probably the tightest valve he had ever been in.

He quickly moved into a full on series of thrusts, keeping them deep and firm, yet gentle.

Our lips met in a heated kiss as he continued thrusting into me, groaning into my mouth as I cried out into his. My hips started moving to meet the speed and force of his thrusts making us both moan louder.

We rocked together on the berth causing it to shake in time to each thrust. Sides pulled away from my lips to attack my throat allowing my soft cries to fill the room. There was no way that I could stop them under the onslaught of pleasure I was feeling. The real miracle was that he could even reach my neck when he was so much taller than me...

Of course the way I was arching could have made this easier for him. My claws were gouging long scratches into the berth below us some part of me desperately trying to cling to something. I could hear him growl when my toe claws dug into his legs.

"Oh! Harder please!"

He didn't need to be told twice, and I cried out when he sped up drastically. But not enough to hurt me.

I clung to him in desperation as he fragged me hard enough, and at a sharp enough upward angle, to take my aft off the berth with every thrust.

He kept hitting every single node inside because he was so large compared to me. It had my overload building faster than I was prepared for. Maybe if he wasn't hitting every single one I could hold out longer...but as the first waves of my overload started racking me from helm to ped I forgot all about anything else.

The cable sync, combined with his piston and spike thumping against my deepest point caused me to fly full blast into an overload so intense that I seized so hard my joints cracked.

And then Sides stiffened above me, roaring like some kind of primal animal as my overload forced his to follow right after. He thrusted hard into me, filling my valve with more transfluid than I could handle. Some of it spilled out of me while the rest warmed me from the inside out making me whimper as I quivered harshly around him.

He almost crashed down on top of me barely managing to catch himself from crushing my small frame. His optics were like molten pools as he stared at me, panting heavily just like I was.

A wave of intense adoration intermingled with the lust between us prompting us to slam our mouths together with a loud clacking sound caused by our denta. If it wasn't for Sunny pulling Sides off of me there was no doubt that he would have started thrusting all over again. Primus...I was going to be sore tomorrow because of them.

Sunny positioned himself between my legs and slid home much more easily than Sides had, thanks to our combined overload juices. I winced while he groaned in pleasure. Ok that stung a little bit again...

Unlike Sides, Sunny wasted no time in being overly gentle. He thrusted into me hard and fast. Almost desperately. Servos were all over me holding me down, one was at my hip pulling me up to meet his thrusting.

The sounds he made! Oh Primus they were so hot! He growled at me like an animal about to attack, his thrusts growing faster and harder each time. His helm fell back a deep primal sounding snarl vibrating every inch of both of us.

All I could do was whimper as I was pinned down and dominated like some submissive little femme. He growled all kinds of lustful words at me, some compliments, others were heated demands for me to lay there and take it. Like I could do anything else when he was pinning me down.

One of his servos moved to my shoulder and flipped me onto my knees, his spike sliding loose only long enough to position me before it slid back in. I cried out for what had to be the millionth time since we started doing this. But it just felt so good! And he had my shoulders pinned down as he drove into me over and over again.

My optics were flashing each time he drove into my deepest parts, vocaliser starting to go hoarse from screaming too much. His roars drowned my sounds out for the most part anyways.

He surprised me by smacking my aft when I wiggled my hips against his. The sharp sting making me gasp in surprise!

"Stay still! I'm the one that's fragging you not the other way around! And you're going to be my good little femme and take it! I'm going to show you who's the Alpha mech!" He snarled.

Another sharp sting broke out across my aft! My helm rose up as my valve suddenly gripped him in an unexpected overload that had me screaming hoarsely.

He roared, servos jerking me back against his thrusts hard enough that it hurt. My claws dug into the berth in a pitiful halfsparked act of resistance, screeching against the surface when he overpowered me.

Another surge of warmth streamed into my valve as he overloaded, his transfluid filling me to the point of bursting.

I crumpled against the berth too spent to even twitch. Frag I'd be lucky if I could even turn to lay on my back without help...that and Sunny had yet to remove his spike from inside of me so my hips were still suspended in the air with it buried as deep as possible.

He finally slid out of me before helping me lay on my back where both of them cuddled into me.

"Sorry if I was a little rough baby... I get like that sometimes." Sunny apologized.

"It's ok Sunny." I snuggled into him.

"I guess this means I can bunk with you guys after I move into the base." I joked tiredly.

They both chuckled. "Yeah I guess so. We'd probably raise pit if you chose to stay with your creators."

"No you would behave yourself like a good little mech Sunny!"

"Fat chance of that happening."

We laid there quietly until I was on the verge of passing out.

"So what about bonding?" Sides suddenly asked.

My optics popped open from where they had been shut for several kliks. "What?"

"Bonding." He repeated. "Obviously we want to bond to you, and I doubt that you would have interfaced with us unless you felt that way too."

I flopped back onto my back so that I could look back and forth between the two of them. "Are you asking me Sides? Cause if you are that wasn't the best proposal I've ever heard."

He grinned.

Sunny smirked too.

"Will you bond with us?" They asked together.

My spark soared. "Yes of course I will!"

I found myself being kissed senseless in a flash. Then Sides was feeling up my chassis to get it to open.

"Whoa whoa there! Down mechy!" I giggled.

He pouted at me.

"I said that I would bond to you! But it has to wait until after I finish school ok? When I move in during the fall we can choose when we want to do it ok?"

"Sweetspark...we don't wanna wait!" Sides whined.

"Too bad! Don't forget that you have to ask my creators and my family unit first!"

"We were just going to bond without asking that way they couldn't say anything about it." Sunny admitted.

"I know that you devious little mechs! Do you really think that even if they didn't approve I would let it stop me?"

"You wouldn't?"

"No! It's my choice who I bond to right? I want to bond to you two! We're just going to run it by my family as a formality. It's...polite to ask. Even if they say no we can still bond."

They both stared at me. "Fine but we're gonna hold you to it." Sunny relented.

"You do that! We can choose a date right now if you want to! Whatever makes you two feel better."

"Ok. After you move in we'll decide when we want to bond. For now you should rest, you're gonna be sore tomorrow."

I cuddled back into Sunny's chassis. "Ok. Night Sunny. Night Sides."

Sides spooned up against my back. "Night sweetspark."

"Recharge well baby."

I was so tired that as soon as I tried to power down I was out like a light.

Fragging really wore me out!

* * *

R&amp;R! Wow that was another long one! I hope you enjoyed all of the fluff and romance! How did you guys like Prom Clare style? How did you all like that lemon in the end? I loved it myself! Next chapter is going to start the second movie probably! Unless I decide to do another small filler.


	30. Chapter 30

Yay finally a lemon happened! It was pretty hot if I do say so myself! Sorry if Sunny seemed a little rough but I just imagine him being that way in the sack! The last one was a pretty long one too! Over 9000 words in fact! I hope you guys liked all of them! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! Oh and the second movie is starting in this chapter! I kept it similar but I changed certain scenes up to make it more original. Oh and thanks to himelove22 for making the cover pic for this story! Check it out on the story page or on tumblr under lunarburst23!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

Graduation came and went with me graduating at the head of my class. The twins came to see the ceremony with my opi, dad, and my Aunt and Uncle. The latter two were incredibly proud of Sam and I, if not a little sad when I announced that night that I was moving out after Summer ended.

They had raised me, been there for me, taken care of me when I had no one else. In a way, even if we understood our boundaries they were still like my parents all these years. No matter where I went or what I was doing I would never forget them. Not ever.

I also made my announcement to both them, and my creators that the twins and I were going to bond after I moved to the base. Surprisingly they took it rather well. Opi did pout about me growing up too fast while he lamented that he didn't want to give his sparkling away to any mech.

It took some reminding that I was going to be living on base, going wherever they went to placate him. I would never trade what he and dad had given me. Both of them would always command respect and as much affection as I could give. The twins, as jealous as they could get would just have to accept that I was going to be loving on my creators from time to time. They didn't make too much of a fuss about it.

Outside of the berth at least. Inside of it was a whole other story.

My Summer was spent being screwed senseless, wherever I went be it on the base or at home in holoform. At times it seemed like I could not pry either of them off of me! And they were dominating afts too! Especially Sunny! He would pin me down on my stomach and spank me if I even tried to move against him!

So far I had only been allowed to lay there and take it for the most part. Only Sides was alright with letting me take control once in a while. He didn't seem to feel the need to excessively dominate me, sometimes even letting me be on top during interface. Forget even trying that with my golden sunshine mech. The first and only time I had tried he had fragged me so hard into the berth that I couldn't walk the next day. After that I had only ever come to Sides with that expectation.

I still loved both of them though. Dearly. Every day that our bonding came closer made my spark beat a little faster in my chest.

And then they had to go to Shanghai for a mission...around the time that Sam was getting ready to go to college. I sulked, pouting about it the whole time. I wasn't allowed to go yet because I had not yet received my symbol, which I was set to receive after moving into the base.

I was going to be a Medic/Saboteur bot. Opi had even given me a spec ops visor just like his! Now I had made a game of walking around on base sliding it up and down over my optics if for no other reason than I liked the soft clicking sound it made when it slid into place. Sides found my amusement with something so small hilarious!

Back to reality though! Enough letting my thoughts wander into incessant mental rambling!

Today was a big day! The day that Sam headed off to College, and also the day that I moved out. I was in my room packing everything that I owned into boxes. Clothes, cds, mementos, pictures, games, pretty much everything I owned but my bed was going in here. Sunny had commented about it before he left, stating that I had no need of clothes since I would be in bot form more often than not. He also felt that he need to add ever so smartly that I could form my clothes out of my nanites just like them.

I had learned how to do it too, but something about wearing the clothes my family had bought me soothed me. Everything was so different than it had been a year ago when I had thought that I was human. Now I knew better, and sometimes that knowledge that in a way I had been living a lie unsettled me a bit. So my human customs eased my unsettled thoughts sometimes.

Sides understood, as did my creators. None of them felt the need to comment on it. They understood that my human family would pass while I lived on for thousands upon thousands of years, and that one day all I would have left of them was my memories and what they had given me.

With a huff I pushed the last of my belongings into my final box. My room was bare for what felt like the first time in...well forever really. Even the comforter was packed away in another box with my pillows leaving the bed bare. How many times had I laid here too tired to even want to get up? How many times had I sat here with Sam or Mikeala? Or even the twins? How many times had I laid here with them after making love to them? Too many times to bother counting.

My cheeks heated up in a blush as I shook those thoughts off so that I could tape the box shut. I could hear Aunt Judy crying about something downstairs as I finished that up.

Without waiting I made my way down to the living room where she was holding up Sam's little baby booties, right in front of him, with tears streaming down her cheeks. I stifled a laugh, in a way because I was kind of in a bittersweet mood. Sam was going to be going to college far away from me...as in I would hardly ever see him. Especially since I was going to be devoting much more time to working with Ratchet or training. It kind of saddened me to think about it.

Aunt Judy suddenly turned towards me...and she had my baby booties in her hand. "Why did you two have to grow up? Now all I'm going to have are your little baby booties to remember you by!" She suddenly started crying full on.

"We'll still come visit Aunt Judy!"

"It's not the same!" She wailed.

Sam turned towards me as if to demand help. I just shrugged. What the fuck was I supposed to do when she was like this?

"Mom I need space ok? I'm an adult now!"

Oh yeah real good use of words when dealing with your emotionally unstable mom Sam! How did he even graduate from High School when he was so stupid? "Not helping Sam!"

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Be understanding of her pain!"

He gave me a _'wtf'_ look.

"Look it's not that hard! Tell her that you'll come visit! Remind her that you love her! All that good stuff!" With that I turned to go back upstairs with a frustrated huff as Aunt Judy started crying about Sam coming to visit on Halloween. Soon we had to take Sam to his new fancy College dorm!

I had no freaking idea why he could not go to school somewhere closer! Mikeala had even confided in me that she wasn't sure that she could do long distance. Was he really willing to risk her when he could just go to College near Tranquility? Obviously yes he was. It would not surprise me if she called and dumped his ass.

The sound of his phone going off reached my ears just before I made it to my room. I heard him coming upstairs to get it but I ignored it for the most part to start stacking my boxes outside my door.

It sounded like he was talking to Mikeala if the hurried hushed tones he was using were any indication. So she had called to dump Sam's too afraid of commitment ass?

While I was doing that I received a comm. link from Sides.

**:Hey sweetspark! I'm just comming to tell you that Sunny and I just got back from our mission, and we are coming to get you from your housing unit!:**

**:Ok cool. Umm I was going to go with Sam to see his new school though. Could we go there first? Or do you guys have to be back soon?:**

**:We're not needed right away so if you want to go we can.:**

**:Ok how long until you get here?:**

**:Fifteen kliks tops.:**

**:Kay see ya then! Love you! Tell Sunny that I said that!: **

**:Love you too and I'll be sure to tell him. See you soon!: **

We cut the link at the same time. No sooner had I done that then Sam started yelling from inside his room. I didn't think much of it until he ran down the stairs like the devil was on his heels. Oh jeez what had he done this time?

I followed him down the stairs, but before I had even caught up a huge commotion started up in the kitchen. That had me speeding up a bit until I sprinted into the kitchen.

My eyes promptly bugged out! All of the kitchen appliances had turned into minibots! I was forced to snap out of my blatant staring when the damn blender fired off a few rounds at me with it's...spike gun?! I ducked down with a startled yell!

"SAM WHAT THE FRAG DID YOU DO?!" I yelped before ducking around the corner with him hot on my heels. We made a break for the back door.

"I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! THERE WAS AN ALLSPARK SHARD IN THE JACKET I WORE WHEN WE WERE AT MISSION CITY AND I DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS THERE! IT FELL THROUGH MY FLOOR INTO THE KITCHEN AND THE NEXT THING I KNOW THE APPLIANCES ARE ALL COMING TO LIFE!"

Dammit! All I had in terms of weaponry were my gauntlets! And now the vacuum was chasing us too!

We stumbled into the back yard where Uncle Ron was packing stuff into the car.

"BEE!" Sam yelped when several minibots came spilling out of the house after us.

I turned and changed to bot form now that we were outside, arming myself with my gauntlets as Bee came bursting out through the garage.

He started shooting at all the minibots in sight as I took to slashing them to pieces with my blades. Together we were making quick work of them.

And then Bee had to go and shoot the house...and the fountain... I heard Uncle Ron give a startled yell over the boom that accompanied the upper floor of the house being blown to pieces.

We finished off the last of the minibots quickly after that with me cleaving my bladed gauntlets through the last one. It fell to the ground with a weak gurgle. Well that went rather well!

The back door suddenly opened with a bang as Aunt Judy ran out of the house with...a pot on her head. She ran straight into the hanging plant pot dangling from the back of the house knocking herself flat on her ass.

"911!" Uncle Ron yelled as he sprinted over to where she was laying dazed and confused.

Sam started freaking out demanding that Bee get back into the garage. Bee just shrugged as if to say _'what the heck?' _He did go back into the garage though as soon as the sounds of sirens approaching were heard.

I shifted back to human form as well.

"I can't live with a homicidal alien robot living in my garage!" Aunt Judy yelled.

Mikeala chose that moment to walk around the house into the back yard. Uncle Ron was saying something to Aunt Judy about an insurance claim to cover the damage.

"Fine then but I want a hot tub! And I'm going to skinny dip and you can't say shit about it!"

Awkward... Mikeala came over to where Sam was standing near me. I waved at her in greeting, but Sides and Sunny pulled in distracting me from her when Aunt Judy suddenly yelled about more homicidal alien robots.

Leaving Sam to talk to Mikeala in peace, I walked over to where my mechs were standing in holoform staring at the destruction with amusement. "What happened sweet?" Sides opened his arms for me.

"Well apparently there was an Allspark shard in Sam's jacket from when we were in Mission City. He didn't know about it and well it fell through the floor and brought all of the kitchen appliances to life. Bee and I killed them but well the yard and house took a few...hits." I explained sheepishly. That reminded me! The shard had fallen into the kitchen and one of us needed to get it!

"Where's the shard at?"

"Probably in the kitchen. Let's go get it."

Together the three of us walked back inside just as the fire department pulled in. I led the twins into the kitchen quickly.

The shard was laying on the table. Shrugging, I picked it up when neither of them did it.

Only to suddenly have the shit zapped out of me! Like with no warning at all! One moment I'm picking it up with my left hand, and the next it shocks me. Hard. Hard enough that I fell down flat on my ass smacking my head into the corner of the counter with enough force to split the skin. I slumped against the floor with my hand tightened into a fist, dazed like I could not believe.

Both of the twins were in my face yelling something at me that I could not discern over the ringing in my ears. They looked concerned so it was easy to conclude that they were inquiring to my wellbeing.

"I'm ok. Head is pounding but I'm ok. Just help me up."

Sunny looped an arm under my shoulder to tug me to my feet. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah. I'm fine." It took me another few moments to steady myself enough that I felt safe standing on my own.

Sides looked me over anyways, as if he could see if something was wrong with me. "What the pit was that?"

"I have no idea. Maybe the shard is PMSing?" Speaking of the shard where did it go? It wasn't in my hand when I opened it palm up. Had I dropped it when I fell? "Umm where did the shard go anyways?"

"Maybe you dropped it?" Sides suggested. "Let's look."

By look they meant they would look obviously, because Sunny sat me on the counter while they scoured the kitchen floor. Neither of them could find it either which was beyond confusing. I mean I had it five astroseconds ago and now it was gone. How did that even make any sense?

None of us had an answer for that. It wasn't like we could do anything about it either, couldn't find what wasn't there. The shard was most definitely not there anymore either. I decided to ask Optimus about it later.

For now we decided to just get my things and pack them into the twins trunks, AKA their subspaces.

While they did that I went back out to the garage. Mikeala was standing outside of it wearing a white dress. I raised my eyebrow at her because despite her insistense on going to the school dances, she rarely wore dresses outside of those occasions. It was kind of weird to see her in one.

As I closed in I heard Sam talking to Bee, but I only caught the very end of what he was saying.

"You'll always be my first car..."

When he walked out I wanted to ask him if that was all that Bee was to him? Just a car? Not a friend or a protector? Not somebot that had put his life on the line for him? I glared at him before walking into the garage.

Bee was leaking from his optics when I stepped inside. "Oh Bee!" I rushed up to give him a hug. "Sam's just being a jerk! He'll miss you you'll see! Besides you get to come back to base with the rest of us! That can't be a bad thing right? We can hang out and prank Ratchet all day!"

He gave the bot equivalent of a sniffle forcing a watery smile onto his lips for me.

"Atta mech! Now let's go take the asshole to school!"

Together we made our way out of the garage, by that I meant that I pretended to drive him out since there were a bunch of fire fighters and cops in our yard. The last thing we needed was for Bee to walk out and wave at them or something.

We pulled up in front of the house. Dunno why since Sam was riding to College with Aunt Judy and Uncle Ron. I think that he just wanted to follow or something to be sure that Sam got there safe.

The twins pulled up behind Bee. I got out and slid onto Sides' lap in the passenger seat twining my arms around his neck. He pulled out after sliding the seatbelt around us.

We followed along after Uncle Ron's car. I was content to cuddle him for the whole ride.

* * *

Several hours later we pulled up in front of Sam's Ivy League college. At least that was what it looked like to me. Sides was telling me about his mission where he had apparently taken down some con named Sideways.

He was just telling me about he had thrown his wrist blade into Sideways' hood then reconnected his arm to it so that he could cleave him in half. Every few astroseconds he would gesture wildly with his hands due to his excitement.

"Tell me how good I am sweetspark!"

I laughed in amusement. "You're amazing Sides."

He grinned widely, squeezing my hips. "Frag yeah I'm amazing! I'll show you just how amazing later..." He growled suggestively.

"Pervert."

"You like it." His hands slid down further to squeeze my ass firmly. "Starting today we can frag you all day long, whenever we're off of patrol. Every night before we power down for recharge we're going to-"

Luckily Sunny saved me from blushing so hard that my processor got fried from the heat, by opening the passenger door. He raised an eyebrow upon seeing me straddling Sides in the seat with his hands gripping my ass. "I thought you were going to help Sam set his room up or whatever?"

Smiling sheepishly I forced Sides to let go of me so that I could get out of him. I pecked Sunny on the lips as I passed by him to help Uncle Ron unpack the car. He handed me a box after handing Sam another one.

"Oh my god look at this place!" Aunt Judy gushed."I feel smarter already! Can you smell that?"

"It smells like forty grand a year." Uncle Ron muttered.

"Don't be such a cheap wad!" She shushed him.

Sam rolled his eyes before leading me to the dormitory, where we had to wade through a throng of students to get to his room. We found it easily enough after getting his key but upon arriving it looked like someone else had already been there.

We sat the boxes down near the free bed. "Well this looks nice." I commented. "Wonder where your roomie is?"

I turned around at the same time that Sides and Sunny came in with some more boxes. What really caught my attention more was the dark haired hispanic looking male that walked in after them. Was this Sam's new roommate?

Sam did that weird chin jerking thing that guys do. "Hey I'm Sam."

"Leo." The guy said back. "So uhh I already set up on that side." He pointed to where all of his stuff was.

"Yeah I saw that." Sam muttered...then it went silent after that for almost an entire klik. "You know what this is?" He suddenly asked. "This is the awkward moment. Yeah I'm trying to see if you're a normal guy. You're trying to see if I'm a normal guy. Balanced, unmedicated, nothing up the crawl space."

"Good hygiene and won't stab me in my sleep." Leo added.

"No criminal record and won't steal anything." Sam commented.

"Including girlfriends." Leo emphasized the point.

"Especially girlfriends." Sam muttered. Obviously he was thinking about Mikeala.

"You got a girlfriend?" Leo asked.

"I do. Do you?"

"Not a chance." Leo chuckled quietly. His eyes drifted over to me at that moment, brightening when they landed on me. Yeah not a good idea when I had two alien robot boyfriends who were in the room right now. "Well who is this?"

Sam looked at me, then at the twins who were glaring at Leo. "Umm this is my cousin Clare."

"Damn you're hot. You got a boyfriend Clare?"

"Umm yes as a matter of fact I do." I responded politely. "Two actually...they're ummm right here."

Leo looked at Sides and Sunny curiously. "Two? Wow you must be a kinky girl... You in the market for a third one?"

Sam was rapidly motioning for him to shut up but he just kept going. He slapped himself in the forehead when Leo practically signed his own death warrant.

Both of my mechs took a threatening step forward forcing me to get between them and Leo.

"Ok let's all just keep it cool ok? Leo these two do not share dude. If you want to live then back off of Clare." Sam hastily intervened before things could get bad.

"Oh they're the jealous types?"

"That's putting it lightly!"

Sides, Sunny, and I just stared back and forth between the two for another moment before I turned towards my mechs. "Can you two go get some more boxes while I help Sam get set up?"

They looked reluctant to leave me in a room with another male that had shown an interest in me. I sighed and pushed at their shoulders playfully. "Please? If you do this for me I'll let you have your way with me all night."

Now that got their complete interest. "You got it sweet." Sides grinned manically.

Together they left the room quickly.

"So what are you majoring in?" Leo asked. "You into tech stuff?"

Sam did this weird sideway head nod thing...that I guess was supposed to be a yes.

"Sweet! Come check this out! You too babydoll!"

Sam looked at me weirdly to which I just shrugged even if the name did kind of weird me out. We followed Leo into a room with two guys sitting at computers. "Sharkie, Faspen where we at?"

"Service almost up Leo." One of them said.

"Networks up and running!" The other replied.

"Beautiful! That's what I like to hear!" Leo gestured to the two guys. "That's Sharkie, and that's Faspen, my IT gurus. Welcome to my empire the real effin deal dot com. I bet you've heard of it."

"Nope." I replied quickly. Sam shook his head no as well.

"So what's with all this stuff?" He asked Leo.

Leo looked at us intensely. "Look call me ballsy but I'm gonna be a billionaire!" He suddenly held up several kitten calendars. "Kitten calendars."

A laugh burst out of my throat before I could stop it. "K-Kitten calendars?! What the fuck?"

"It's where I started!" Leo defended himself hotly. "Now look at me! You gotta have dreams bro."

One of the guys on the computers suddenly started yelling something. "Leo we got some brand new vids coming in from Shanghai!"

Now that caught my attention! Shanghai? Wasn't that where the bots just were?

Leo threw the kitten calendars down and practically threw himself at the monitor the guy was sitting at! "Post it baby! Go! Go! Go! FTJ! FTJ!"

"What the fuck is an FTJ?" I muttered. My eyes bugged out when I saw what popped up on the screen, making me forget all about my question even as Leo explained it meant fuel the jet.

Oh my fragging pit! They had live streaming of the bots in Shanghai! Where the hell? How did they get this when Lennox did clean up there? Looks like I had to have a talk with Optimus when we got to base...

"Look at this! Half of Shanghai gets wrecked and China says gas leak! Don't believe the hype bro!"

"Just like what happened in LA last year!"

"Yeah I saw these robots and they did this like firing thing and some woman got fried!" Faspen I think...at least I think that was his name, stated excitedly.

Oh shit! Sam looked at me with wide eyes. I huffed. "It all looks fake to me just saying."

"Yeah it does." Sam agreed.

Glasses, Faspen...that's what I was just going to call him started arguing with us. "Dude it's not fake! The internet is pure truth! It doesn't lie!"

"Ummm no not really. There's lots of bullshit on the internet." I pretended not to be interested in the vid file on the screen.

"It does look fake." Sam pointed at the screen again.

"NO MAN! I've seen them! They had these like lights and-"

"Yeah!" The other guy started arguing the point as well.

"Anyone can make something like this on a computer." Sam stated. "And well since we weren't there we can't believe it or comment or speculate."

Leo pulled away from his monitor with an intense look in his eyes. "Comment or speculate? And we're supposed to go habitate? No listen! Don't be suckin the sack bro!"

Ummm ok? "Which sack?" Sam and I asked simultaneously.

"The ballsack." Sharkie I think...replied.

"Ohh ewww."

"The main stream media sack." Leo pressed doing some weird motion with his mouth and hand...ewww. "They're lying to us alright? It's aliens man!"

When neither of us said anything Leo just glared. "Follow me." He led us over to a monitor but before he could do whatever he wanted Faspen AKA glasses stared shouting something again about a robo warrior.

"Leo bad new! The vid got scooped! It's already up on RoboWarrior's site!"

"Dammit!" Leo cussed.

I tuned Leo out when he started talking about this RoboWarrior being some kind of competition with conspiracy stuff or whatever, making my way back into the bedroom where Sides and Sunny were coming in with more boxes. "So ummm Sam has some interesting roomies."

Sunny raised a brow at me. "Did one of them hit on you again?"

"No nothing like that." I walked over to stand beside them whispering quietly so that they could hear it. "He's got vid files of you guys in Shanghai. They're posted on his website. He's some kind of like conspiracy freak."

They both frowned. "Lennox was supposed to clean that all up."

"Unfortunately there's just no way of cleaning it all up guys. You can't always find everybot that knows something, and apparently there were a few people that video taped what happened. I mean it's easy enough to block his site. I'll let Optimus know when we get back."

"Ok... Was I in the vid?" Sides grinned.

"No I don't think so."

He pouted. "No fair."

I linked my arms around his neck. "Aww you poor little mech! So much injustice with those people not getting you on the video!"

"You're teasing me aren't you?"

"Mmmmm hmmmm." I tugged him down to slam our lips together. My hands cupped his, moving them up to my chest in silent demand. He started fondling them as he kissed me harder. Things quickly got heated between all three of us, Sides making out with me, Sunny feeling me up from behind as he nipped at my neck.

A sudden commotion from the other room forced us to break apart just in time for Sam to briskly make his way out the door with one of his boxes in hand. When Leo came out right after him clearly chasing him into the hall I wasn't sure that I wanted to know.

On the way passed us he shivered. "Still so hot..."

Obviously he was referring to me... I shook my head and followed after them, with the twins following along right after me.

We caught Sam talking to one of the dorm workers asking if he could change rooms. "Umm it's getting a little intense in my room can I switch out?"

"Ooohhh sad face 312! Sorry no switching or trading! Now let's turn that frown upside down!" Oh my god her voice was so annoying! And what was up with the whole sad face 312 thing?

Aunt Judy and Uncle Ron came up to us with some more of Sam's stuff at that moment. "Oh my! It's just like Hogwarts!" Aunt Judy gushed.

"Is this co-ed? This is a co-ed dorm!" Uncle Ron commented. Perverted old man.

"Ummm you guys wanna meet my roommate? He's a real swell guy!" Sam muttered.

"Oh yes!" Aunt Judy gushed.

He led us back into the room where Leo was sitting on his bed. "Mom, Dad, this is Leo."

"Oh hi!"

"Hey I'm Leo! Sam seems like a great guy!" They shook hands and all that good stuff.

"Aren't you the sweetest thing?" Aunt Judy gushed.

"Yeah real sweet mom." Sam sighed. "What's that in your hand?"

I just noticed it too! She had like a small plastic bag with...brownies in it?

"Oh I got this at the bake sale for the enviornment that those boys are having! You know those white boys with the dread locks?" When she spun around I saw a weed plant symbol on the side of the bag. Oh my freaking god she had weed brownies! Why was that so freaking amusing to me!?

"Mom..." Sam tried taking the bag from her.

She tugged it away from him with a smile. "Yeah it's a hundred percent pure Hawaiian green. It's good for the enviornment!"

"Judy drop it! They made it with reefer in it." Uncle Ron commented.

Oh my Primus! "Ok Aunt Judy just give them here ok? They're not good for you!" I tried taking them from her but she tugged her arm away again.

"Hey it's my cheese and I can eat it if I want!" She popped a piece into her mouth before striding out the door, while Sam proceeded to have a breakdown in front of Uncle Ron.

"I'm gonna freak out! Please do something! Please do something right now!"

"Ok I'm going!"

Uncle Ron followed her, and we all followed after him. She climbed over the chairs in Leo's computer room as she argued that she could eat all the freaking brownies she wanted! Well that was true I guess...she had eaten the whole bag almost. By now there was really no point in trying to stop her.

I chased after her anyways with Uncle Ron right beside me.

When we got outside she had Sam's baby booties in her hands again while she flagged down girls. "Pretty girls! Hey! My son lives in this dorm!" She pointed at Sam's window. "His name is Sam!"

"Aunt Judy!"

"Oh and he recently had his cherry popped!" She continued. "He didn't know I was in the house! I heard it all!"

Sam came charging out of the dormitory by that point.

But Aunt Judy just kept going on and on...this time about me. "And this is my niece! She had her cherry popped not too long ago too! By two guys! Do any of you handsome college boys want her phone number?"

"MOM!"

"AUNT JUDY!" Oh my God she did not just say that! In front of the entire school, and my mechfriends!

Sam came up beside her. Bad idea when she was standing with a whole bunch of girls. "Oh here he is!" She gushed. Yeah she was stoned. High as a kite by this point.

We had to grab her and drag her back towards the car, but that didn't shut her up. "And she's a robot! And my son's car is a robot! Her boyfriends are also robots!" She laughed like crazy.

From the corner of my eye I saw Sides snickering when Sam started trying to say something to the other students about GPS. I turned towards him to tell him to shut it when Aunt Judy somehow slipped out of my grasp.

She took of running before I could stop her. Uncle Ron just sighed. Sam proceeded to have another fit.

"Dad! Are you just going to let her run around the entire school?" He took off in the direction that she had, followed by my mechfriends and I.

When we caught up to her she full body tackled some guy playing frizbee to the ground. "Give it! Give it!" She rolled across the grass with his frizbee in hand. The poor guy was like down...maybe even knocked out as his friends came over to check on him.

Aunt Judy jumped up with her prize. "MINE! MINE! MINE!"

"Is something wrong with your Aunt?" Sunny muttered when she snatched the other frizbee that a different guy was holding.

"She's high." I muttered.

"WOOOOOOOOOOO!" Yup when she started dancing around with the frizbees I was convinced that those white boys with dreadlocks had some pretty good weed.

"Judy! Judy!" Uncle Ron tackled her to the ground. Sam pretended to tie his shoes so that no one would know she was related.

A snobby dark haired girl walked by him. "Control your mother!"

"I don't know her." Sam stammered.

Yeah right! I came up beside my Uncle to help him pull Aunt Judy up...when she had to go and disturb me even more.

"Hi Professor I'd do anything for an A!"

OH MY GOD! "Please Sides! Please carry her back to the car so that she doesn't get away again! Please!" I begged.

"Ok." He picked Aunt Judy up princess style so that he could carry her back.

"Why hello there handsome! Weren't you dating my niece?" She cupped his cheeks and squeezed them. "I don't think she'd approve of this you know! Have you ever gotten freaky in the back of a car before?"

"MOM!"

Oh my Primus! Was she hitting on my mechfriend?! "Just get her in the car! Put her in!" I demanded once we reached it.

We had to force her into the seat, then we had to force the seatbelt onto her! "Bye Handsome! Let's get freaky later! You'll like MILF! WOOOOOOOOOO!"

I shooed my mechs back to their alt modes. "Just go! Just go! Go! Go! Go! I'll be over in a klik!"

They shrugged but left me to say my goodbyes to Sam. I turned to him heaving a heavy sigh. "So uhhh this was an eventful first day huh?"

"Don't remind me." He sighed.

We stared at each other for another moment before tears came to my eyes.

"Oh no! Clare please don't cry! Please!"

I started blubbering anyways. "SAMMY! Please don't go to college! How are we supposed to trick or treat together if you're all the way out here?! What about your birthday? Who am I supposed to tease for my own enjoyment?" I bawled.

Aunt Judy started crying from inside the car too. Uncle Ron had locked the doors so she couldn't get out or something.

I tackled Sam down to the ground in a fierce hug.

"Agh! Can't you two do something about her?!"

"SAMMY! You can't stay at college!"

"Baby let him go."

Somebot tugged on my shoulder to get me to let go but I just held on tighter, bawling even harder. "No you're not staying here! You're coming back with me!"

"Clare I'm already here!" Sam awkwardly patted my back. "I can't just go back now!"

"Then I'm staying here with you! We can kick Leo out of the room!"

"What about bonding to Sideswipe and Sunstreaker? I thought that you were going to do that in the next few days! You can't do that if you're here right?"

"They can stay too!" I cried almost hysterically.

Ok so maybe I was being unreasonable but Sam was more like my older brother than my cousin! I did not want to leave him behind at college with a bunch of girls! The temptations! The possible STDS!

"Clare...I'll come visit! I have to come see Mikeala too right? All three of us can spend time together on weekends or on Hollidays!"

"But what if you cheat on Mikeala? Think of all the STDS Sam! When that temptation is right in your face think about it!"

"I'm not going to cheat on her Clare! I promise!"

I clung to him tighter bawling into his chest.

"Ok really can you two like grab her or something? She's causing another scene."

"NO I'M NOT!"

One of the twins sighed before grabbing me and yanking me up from the ground where I had Sam pinned down. I only bawled louder when we were separated from one another. Sunny swept me up into his arms so that I could not escape to get back at Sam again.

"I'M NOT CRYING!" I wailed. "ALL OF YOU LITTLE BITCHES THAT ARE THINKING ABOUT TAPPING THIS KNOW THAT HE HAS A GIRLFRIEND! SHE'LL KICK YOUR ASSES!"

"Clare shut up!" Sam hissed. "Please take her before she says something else embarrassing!"

"NOOOOO! THE STDS SAM! STDS!" I cried as Sunny carted me back to his alt mode where he stuffed me inside. I beat on the doors to try and get out to no avail.

Sunny slid into the driver seat in holoform, hastily shutting the door when I made a break for it. "Baby calm down."

"SAM'S STAYING AT COLLEGE WITHOUT ME!"

He shook his head before pulling away from the school. "He'll be ok baby. It's just school right? Not like it can be all that dangerous."

"STDS SUNNY! STDS!" I wailed into my hands.

Sunny just sighed and let me cry for the rest of the drive to base.

* * *

Several hours later we made it back to the base. I had long since stopped crying though my spark was still pained. But I knew that I had to let the sorrow go. Luckily I had my twins to cuddle into during the drive back. It did make me feel better.

Halfway through the trip I had switched over to Sides' alt for the remainder of the ride, so he drove us to their room. Well I guess that it could now be called our room since I was moving in, and bonding to them in a few days.

Anyways they took me back so that I could unpack my things into the two new dressers they had gotten for me. I put my clothes in both, pictures on top of them along with my mementos, and my stereo. It wasn't like I had too much really so it only took a few kliks.

I carried my blanket and pillows over to the large berth where I placed the pillows at the top middle section where I rested my helm at night, and the blanket went near the bottom. I really didn't need them because the twins had these nifty thermal blanket things that were made out of this really squishy soft metal. Dunno where they came from, probably Cybertron, point is that they were beyond warm even when it was just me under it. Forget about when all three of us were covered. It was more like a sauna then.

Sides had made space for my video games and stuff on the tv stand near his stuff. He helped me sort them into their spaces quietly. It kind of felt...really intimate having them help me move my things in, with him taking my games from me and setting them on the shelves. Both had even helped me unpack, refold, then put my clothes away.

In a few days...we would bond. Doing these things together really solidified that future for me. Our optics met several times while we worked. For some reason I would get embarrassed and look away every time it happened.

There was some kind of spark in the air between us right now. One that made me want to strip naked and lay there blushing for them to ravage. A total contradiction right?

Unfortunately I had to go get my new training schedules, med bay shift schedule, and then I had to go talk to Optimus about both the Allspark shard, and the website issue. So interfacing had to wait.

"Ok well that's all done! I need to go take care of some things, wanna come with?"

"Sure sweetspark we have nothing better to do right now anyways. Ya know since we can't do you."

I blushed. "Perv."

"You're living with us baby, that means you better get used to it."

Sunny crouched down so that I could hop up onto his shoulder. "I already am."

We messed around, goofing off on the way to the med bay. Jolt was there when we arrived waving to me in greeting. "Oh Clare! Ratchet said that you'd be coming by soon! He had to go negotiate with the new liason for some new supplies so he asked me to give you this."

He dug around on the desk for a moment before producing a small data chip. The kind that would instantaneously transfer the data straight to the processor of a bot, rendering the chip itself empty. I took it from him to pop into a small port on the back of my helm.

My Med Bay hours popped up on a small attachment on my HUD. I opened it, perusing the schedule quickly. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays were first shift six AM to noon. Thursdays, and Fridays were noon to six PM. Saturdays, and Sundays were off days. Well not really since I would either have training with Ironhide, Chromia, Arcee, Flareup, or my creators.

Today was Saturday so no Med Bay shift tomorrow! Yay! Hopefully my weekend schedule wasn't particularly early, otherwise the twins were going to pout that I had to go to recharge early tonight when I promised lots of loving earlier.

The chip popped back out of my helm allowing me to hand it back over. "Ok! Well I guess I'll see you two on Monday then."

"Alright. See you later Clare."

"Bye Jolt."

Next stop Dad's office where I would pick up my next schedule.

He was bent over a stack of data pads when we walked in, helm lifting slightly upon our arrival. "Sparklet." He greeted me stoically on the outside because of the twins. On the inside he sent me a pulse of love over the bond.

"Hi Dad!"

"Did you come to get your training regiment?"

"Yup!"

He handed me another chip to upload to my processor.

This upload was added to my other one instantly, creating one complete schedule. It went like this! Monday through Wednesday training with Chromia from one PM to six, then I had weapons with either Ironhide or Arcee from six to eight. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday I had training with Opi fom six AM to ten. Med bay from noon to six, then I had tactics with dad from six to eight. Damn my schedule was packed!

At least tomorrow was my off day.

"That schedule is subject to change when it is needed." Dad explained. "Whenever we must make any deviation you will be told in advance. So far after speaking to Optimus the only changes may be adding a mission here or there."

The twins perked up when he said this. "Missions? She hasn't even finished all of her training yet!"

"She has finished basic training." Dad explained calmly. "She is set to receive her Symbol tomorrow morning."

"It's dangerous!" Sunny argued. "What kind of missions are you going to send her on?"

"Nothing too dangerous. We were discussing using her as a field medic for now. Ratchet wants her to gain experience with doing basic repairs, on top of conditioning herself to withstand using her powers more. What better way to do this then sending her out as a field medic on missions?"

Neither of my twins looked happy about this. "There's not anything on there like that yet!" I placated them gently. "And I'll be with somebot out there right dad?"

He nodded. "Yes. You will not have solo missions. Somebot will be with you at all times."

"See? I'll be just fine."

"We're not happy about this." Sunny growled.

"Be that as it may Sunstreaker, you have no say in the matter. We have taken every precaution to ensure Clare's safety. As much as I do not want her out in the field myself, she has skills that are useful for the role she has been given. This is not up for discussion."

"No say? She's going to be our mate in less than a quartex!"

Dad held up a servo to silence Sunny. "I will not argue this with either of you."

A look of rage crossed Sunny's face before he turned and stormed out of the room. I could feel the anger radiating out from him with each step he took down the corridor.

"Sunny I know that you're angry but please don't act this way. Arguing is pointless, and being this upset about it won't change it. I promise to be careful whenever I do have to go."

He didn't respond to me as he stormed towards Optimus' office. Oh please don't tell me that he was going to start a scene!

ShimmerNova was just exiting our destination when we turned the corner. Seeing her dampened my mood.

She tried to say something but Sunny shoved her aside in his haste to get where he was going. Her face morphed into one of intense anger and indignation.

I laughed softly to myself, temporarily forgetting the warpath my intended mate was on. When he started loudly banging on the door my attention diverted back to him. "Sunny! Stop that right now!"

Twenty feet of raging sentient metal banging aggressively on the door must have been audible even in the rec room! Let alone within the very room of the door he was beating on! What was I going to do with him?

The door slid open an astrosecond later revealing the startled face of my opi.

Sunny pushed past him roughly. "What is this about my soon-to-be-mate going out on missions?"

"SUNNY!" I looked towards Optimus and Ironhide, both of who were looking at Sunny in surprise. "I am so sorry about this! He's just angry about the whole field medic thing!"

"Frag yes I am!" Sunny raged. "She's not ready for that yet!"

I looked to my right at Sides for help. He grimaced shaking his helm no indicating that Sunny was too angry to be stopped. Slag.

Looks like I had to take drastic measures...

Reaching out, I grabbed his finial firmly stopping any more harsh words from him. **:If you don't stop it right now then I'm going to kick you onto the couch tonight!:**

**:You wouldn't!:**

**:I would! What did I just say about arguing?:**

**:I don't want you going out on missions!: **

**:What you and I want doesn't matter! Sunny this is something that's going to happen even if you rage about it! So please stop fighting a battle that you can't win! The sooner we get done here the sooner we can get back to our room right? Don't you want to put that berth to good use? Keep this up and you'll be on the couch tonight! And if you argue then I'll recharge on the couch far away from you!: **

Some of the tension leaked out of his frame as he grumbled irritably. At least he stopped yelling.

"Sorry about that guys! He'll behave himself now."

"Do we want to know what you said to get him to behave?" Ironhide muttered gruffly.

"No probably not. Umm anyways there was a good reason for us coming here!"

"You mean besides Sunstreaker raging?"

"Yes. You see earlier today Sam found another Allspark shard in the jacket he wore in Mission City."

All three mechs who had no idea about this perked up. "Where is it?" Optimus asked me.

"Well ummm that's a real good question... You see after it brought all of our kitchen appliances to life...well I kind of picked it up...and it zapped me...before it just disappeared. We have no idea where it went... I mean we looked all over the kitchen and it wasn't there."

"So it's gone." Ironhide muttered. What was with him and muttering all the time?

"Yeah. It just vanished after zapping me!"

"That does not make any sense." Optimus looked troubled.

"Tell me about it. I mean I touched the Allspark before and all it did was give me healing powers. This shard just zapped the scrap out of me."

"Before disappearing." He repeated.

"Yeah but that's not the only thing you might wanna hear about. You see vid files of Shanghai made it onto the internet as well. Sam's roommate had some in fact, along with some online user named RoboWarrior. I thought that you might wanna know about that too. By the way who was the huge guy with the big wheel?"

"We do not know."

"Oh...well I still thought that you might want to know about the internet thing."

"Thank you for bringing all of this to my attention Clare. I will inform Secretary Galloway about the internet sites immediately."

"You mean the guy that Sides told me was a major afthole? Yeah how about we just shove him out of a plane? That sounds like a better idea!"

Optimus frowned at me disapprovingly.

"Just an idea." I shrugged.

"Autobots do not harm humans Clare." He reminded me.

"I know...but he sounds like a jerk, so can I at least entertain myself with thinking about pushing him off of a plane?"

"I cannot tell you what to think. However I do ask that you conduct yourself appropriately."

"Fine. Gotcha! I'll be good."

"See that you are behaving. For now I would like you to see Ratchet first thing in the morning for another exam, just to make sure that the shard had no further effect on you."

"Ok will do!"

"You are dismissed."

I mock saluted as Sunny carried me back out of the room.

The three of us made our way to the rec room quickly to refuel. Afterwards we did not waste time socializing with other bots, more like they rushed us back to our room to collect their prize for behaving.

My armor was ripped off, back hitting the berth after being tossed onto it.

Both of them caged me in. Lust radiating from every inch of them.

My spark sped up in excitement...

Looks like I would be having a hard time walking tomorrow...

Oh joy!

* * *

R&amp;R! Pretty long one again! Did you guys like how I changed things up a bit? Let me know! Things are picking up in the next few chapters! Review time!

**Coolgal02**\- Yes a food fight at prom lol! I loved the idea of it! And yes Trent, and Lauren got what they deserved! XD!

**Sorana3**\- Proms seem pretty boring in my opinion, and Clare could not handle a boring prom so yeah! Prom-Twins-Clare style!

**DinahDeath**\- Thank you!

**himelove22**\- Unfortunately I skipped into the second movie instead of going over that part! Jazz, and Prowl are pretty laid back creators in my fics! Thanks for the review and pic!

**TerrorTwinEpicness**\- Ha ha! How are you gonna make it through the next ten chapters lol?! Thanks for the review!

**CastielLunaWinchester**\- Pervy twins… Ha ha! Yes that Prom was like…Prom of the century! I loved it!

**DarkshadowXsunny-sides**\- Yeah Sunny's a dominating fragger sometimes lol! Thanks for the review!

**HeartsGuardianSol**\- I realized after typing that the word was matador, but I forgot to go back and change it…XD! PROM FOOD FIGHT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I loved it when the idea of the twins going Tarzan entered my mind!


	31. Chapter 31

I was so tempted to do a lemon at the end of the last chapter but I didn't... Still kind of wish that I had. I love lemons! Anyways the second movie is kicking into full gear in this one! Hope you all enjoy it! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! Another lemon in the beginning section. Oh wow I totally forgot to update for way longer than usual so I'm sorry about that! Here we go then!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

It was early Monday morning, like four AM in the morning. I had woken up moments ago and been unable to go back to recharge. The twins and I had a late night last night due to other activities so I was surprised that I was not completely exhausted still. I mean we had only powered down after Midnight.

Oh well no sense crying about it now huh? Besides I had things to do today starting at six, so why go back to recharge for another groon...er hour at most?

I shifted under the thermal blanket we were covered with, stretching my stiff joints with several satisfying pops. Sunny shifted closer to my back grumbling something in his recharge that strangely enough sounded like my designation.

One thing I had noticed that both twins had in common was their habit of snuggling in the berth. Be it in recharge, after interfacing, or just because, one or both of them was always cuddling me.

Normally I loved it, even right now I was loving it. But umm well you know how human males suffer from morning wood? Well mechs suffer from morning...rods. So one was poking me in the aft, another was poking into my abdomen. It had been a surprise the first time I had woken up with them after our first time together, and both of them had stiffies in their recharge. Now it was just a normal part of my every day life to be poked by the erection of an unconscious mech.

I took a deep breath when my own arousal spiked in response. Hey I was a young femme soon-to-be bound to two hot mechs, who happened to have an amazing frag drive. Cut me some slack here! Neither mech ever wanted to cut me some slack though...

Sides who I was laying curled into shifted. His systems picked up from their dull hum. He was awake.

A large servo slipped down to cup my aft. "Mmmm I can smell that lubricant sweetspark." He purred.

"You woke up from a dead recharge because I was slightly aroused?"

"Yes." He rolled over bringing me up onto his abdomen near his erect spike. "And you don't smell slightly aroused sweet. I bet if I tried to slide it in it would be easy. Want to test my theory?"

I bit my lip in contemplation. We had time before I had to work in the Med bay and the twins had patrol it was only a little after four. Sunny was still out cold beside us, but as soon as things got going he would snap out of recharge anyways.

Sides was watching me with a roguish grin. He knew what I would choose to do. Pervert.

"Is putting me up here your way of saying that you want to be lazy this time?"

"No. You're just getting really good on top. At least lately you have been. Must be all that coaching I gave you."

Cocky prick. "Move it to the couch then so that you can sit up, that way I can kiss you easier."

He didn't protest as he got up and carried me over to the couch where he placed me on his lap after sitting down. His arms twined behind his helm in a show of mech hedonism, optics watching me intently when what I really wanted was for him to be touching me.

"Sides..." I whined. He made no move to react to my obvious plea. I scowled at him before lifting myself to rub the tip of his spike over my opening. He was right and I was more than slightly aroused as evidenced by the lubricant slicking him so easily, allowing him to slide into me as easily as was possible when I finally moved to take him in.

His helm fell back with a soft groan matched by the little mewling sound that I made.

My claws hooked into his protoform to help me steady myself as I started moving against him with shallow slow thrusts. If he could tease me then I was going to tease him back and there was nothing he could do about it.

"Sweetspark don't tease me!" He panted out.

Humming softly I gave one hard thrust of my hips before I slowed down to my creeping pace again. "Touch me like I want..." I panted out in time with each gyration of my hips. "Then I'll speed up."

His servos finally slid down my frame as he growled heatedly. "Tease."

A sigh of relief escaped me as he stimulated all the right spots for me. All the spots that had me speeding up the pace of my hips leaving me pressed flush against him and undulating my whole frame against his.

I moaned loudly, feeling him slide in and out of me repeatedly in time with him tweaking my chassis, rubbing my ports around the cables syncing us together. All of it felt so intense that I was rapidly losing control of myself.

I tilted my helm back licking my lips as a primal sounding cry fell from my glossa.

Taking my hint he slammed his lips against mine glossa invading my mouth. I cried out into his mouth, optics blurring from the pleasure of my mounting overload. My hips started ramming into his, the sound of metal hitting metal permeating the room.

He grunted, growling into my mouth as his servos slid down to help me move faster against him. One moved back in between us to stroke my external ports again.

That was what finally made me fall over the edge with a desperate sounding scream. Our mouths separated as I arched, crying out as my valve clenched and rippled around his spike, flashes going off behind my optics.

Sides was right behind me throwing his helm back as he too cried out my designation as he shot his transfluid into me.

We rocked together desperately on the couch for another klik or two before he slumped with me sprawled out over his midsection, both of us still connected intimately. I tried to catch my breath.

The couch shifted as somebot else sat down. Neither of us looked up right away to acknowledge Sunny because we were still basking in post overload bliss.

It wasn't until he plucked me off of Sides' lap that I acknowledged him with a glance. Pretty easy to do when he laid me out on the table in front of the couch, where he leaned down onto his knees between my legs.

His spike pressed against my opening but he didn't push in right away. He looked towards Sides who was watching us closely. The two seemed to communicate over their bond for a few moments before Sunny turned back towards me. "When are we going to bond?"

My optics popped wide open from where they had been half mast while I lazily regarded him. They hadn't asked me this since I had moved in. I had the feeling that they were just trying to let me get settled without feeling pressured.

"I spoke to Ratchet about it, and he said that it would be best to do it on a day that we aren't busy. He said that newly bonded couples normally spend a good deal of time secluded in their quarters after establishing the bond to strengthen it. So since none of us are busy this Sunday how about we do it this Saturday night?"

"Six more solar cycles..." Sunny huffed.

"Just six more." I agreed as I moved my hips so that his spike slid over my opening.

"Why not now?" He pressed before sliding into me gently.

"Because..." I panted with each soft thrust he gave. He was not normally gentle with me...it made it hard to think. "We all have things to do in less than a groon remember?" A shuddering gasp escaped me when he hit one of my most sensitive spots dead on with his piston. "Oh right there!"

He smirked as he shifted to hit that sweet spot on every thrust making me writhe even under his soft pace. "This Saturday then."

"Yes." I moaned. "Please touch me. Please?"

His servos slid down over my protoform teasing wires that made me jump and make sounds that shouldn't even exist. I wasn't going to complain about them when he was thrusting into me in a way that could only be described as making love, while he touched me in just the right way to make every part of me tingle.

He leaned down to kiss me with a soft groan. Every inch of me pressed against as much of him as was possible. His glossa slid into my mouth gently devouring all of the noises I was making while I returned the favor.

An intense pressure started up in my abdomen building with each thrust. I whimpered, moaned, arched, cried out, and screamed when it finally exploded in another ecstatic overload.

I felt him suddenly start ramming into me as he overloaded, spilling his transfluid into my rippling valve.

He stilled above me still locked inside of me. Both of us panted to catch our breath.

With great reluctance I checked the time on my HUD to see how long I had to get ready for my Med bay shift. It was only a little after five so I had plenty of time to shower and refuel. If only Sunny would let me up I would. "Umm Sunny? Can I get up now?"

"No."

"Why? I need to shower and-"

He gave another rougher thrust of his hips. "We have time for at least one more round."

I gulped nervously...

Oh scrap!

* * *

Several hours later I was busy working alongside Ratchet to repair skids and Mudflap from yet another stupid sibling brawl. From my experience they came in at least once every freaking day to be repaired for the same thing. Being idiots.

Normally I didn't care who came in as long as I was learning something, but my legs were sore as was my back from being fragged over a table this morning. So I was not in the best mood to be dealing with either of them. Anybot that walked in would think that Ratchet had been smacking them around with his wrench when in reality I had gotten frustrated with the whining and beat them both in the helm with mine.

Ratchet didn't even care when I did that so long as I did not create more work for us. He was definitely in the running for best boss ever.

Except for when I got distracted thinking about this Saturday. When I started spacing out he yelled at me to pay attention after whacking me lightly with his wrench. No matter how many times this happened I found my thoughts wandering anyways. It was only after he threatened to make me come in on my off day, AKA the day after the twins and I were set to bond, that I finally got my shit into gear.

Right now I was connecting some new wires into where Skids' arm was supposed to be attached to his shoulder, but wasn't because Mudflap had ripped it out. Then Skids had gotten slagged off and ripped off Mudflap's leg.

Anyways I was rambling! Ratchet came over to help me reposition Skids' arm so that I could weld the plating together now that I had the new wires installed. Neither of us trusted either of these idiots to even do something as small as holding a limb up so that it could be welded back on.

I sat back on my haunches after finishing with him. My HUD informed me that it was actually a few kliks after noon. More time had gone by than I was expecting!

Ratchet booted the twins out of the bay with a threat to never come back ue to such stupid injuries again unless they wanted to be reformatted into portable toilets.

Was it bad that I laughed because I wanted to see that?

"Well Clare you're done here for today. I believe you have a groon to rest before training with Chromia."

"Yup!"

"Do not forget to refuel before meeting her." He reminded me.

"I won't! See ya tomorrow Ratchet!" I hopped off the berth and made my way outside the Med bay. My HUD pinged with a comm. link message before I had even taken three steps towards the rec room... Well damn! I was supposed to meet Sides at training room D after I got some energon. It was from Optimus though so I couldn't ignore it.

**:Clare I need you to come to my office once you are finished in the Med bay.:**

**:On my way!:**

Spinning around I made my way to the corridor containing the officer's offices...those kind of rhymed! Umm anyways I made my way to Optimus' office where I waited for him to let me in.

Surprisingly it was Bee that waved to me in greeting after opening the door. The first thing that crossed my mind was that Sam was in trouble. He had to have been if Bee was here on what sounded like an important summons.

"Is Sam ok?" I blurted once the doors slid shut.

Optimus nodded. "He is fine, though the reason I called you two here does pertain to him."

Bee lifted me onto the desk so that I didn't have to stare at it while Optimus was talking to me. "Ok so if he's ok why...why are we being called here for him? Did he do something stupid again?"

"No. He has done nothing wrong."

I sighed in relief. "Ok."

"The reason I have called you both here is because I fear that the United States Government questions our presence here, and what it means for the human species."

Made sense...it wasn't every day that a race of super advanced alien robots landed on U.S. soil demanding an alliance to help protect their country from a threat that they didn't even know existed. "It does make sense...I mean I'm not trying to be disrespectful or anything! It's just that humans tend to...be wary or suspicious of any beings that are more advanced than them technologically." My optics widened when I realized I was rambling again. "Sorry! I was rambling a bit huh?"

Optimus smiled softly at me. "It is quite alright Clare. You made a very good point. That is why we must form bonds with humans that we can trust. Not only to allow us to cooperate easier with other humans, but to better foster trust with them as a whole."

The pieces clicked together quickly. "And you want Sam's help with this?"

"Yes I do. He is the first human ally that we had on this planet. If anyone can trust us completely and show that trust to other humans it is him."

"You want us to go retrieve him from his College so that you can speak to him about it?" I looked down at the desk top uncertainly. Sam's whole reason for going to College so far away was to get away from the alien war, to be a normal human kid. It was selfish but understandable... I didn't know if he would come back willingly. "I don't know if he'll come back Optimus." I told him honestly.

He didn't say anything.

"I mean...Sam has always just wanted to be a normal kid even if he's as far from normal as possible. That was the reason he chose to go to school so far away. To get away from all the talk of alien wars...and to take a break from all of it. It's just that I don't know if he'll come back. Did Bee go see him yet? Did he talk to him?"

"We both did."

The way he said that let me know that I was completely right about my suspicions. Sam had said no.

"He stated everything that you just did."

I thought so. "Now you want me to go talk to him?"

"Yes. You may be the only one that can get through to him. What I think that Sam fails to realize is that if we are forced off planet you must come with us as well. He will lose you if we do not do something."

"I'll talk to him. Just give me a few to get myself together and then we can go."

"Very well. Bee will be waiting for you in the hangar as soon as you are ready."

"Ok. I'll meet him there in a few." Without waiting for another response I left the room quickly. My thoughts were a mess with all of the possible outcomes that could happen if I failed. Everything that could happen if Sam continued to be selfish.

Maybe that was stretching it a bit. Every human teenager wanted to be normal...well most of them did. So in a way didn't that make Sam just an average teenager? Didn't that and selfish normally go hand in hand?

I needed to see my twins before I left. Maybe they could help ease my thoughts? Or at the very least they could reassure me that everything would be ok? That and if I just disappeared without telling them they would have an epic fit of catastrophic proportions.

That thought got a small laugh out of me as I approached training room D. Sunny was just coming around the opposite corner when I closed in on the door. "You just get done in the Med bay?" He asked quietly.

"Yeah. You and Sides sparring?"

"We were before I went to get us some energon."

We turned into the room mid response. "How polite of...you..."

What my optics landed on upon entering the room sent a pulse of sheer agony straight through my spark. I literally felt it shredding itself...

Even Sunny froze beside me staring at the scene on the matts. A scene that caused tears to well up in my optics.

Sides was on his back on the matts locked in a heated kiss with ShimmerNova who was straddling his interface equipment. It wasn't open, therefore they weren't interfacing but she was on top of him...kissing him...grinding her valve covering against his sodpiece.

And he...was gripping her upper arms.

He suddenly pushed her away with a growl. "What is wrong with you? I told you before that..." That was the moment he noticed us standing there watching. He shoved his whore to the floor and scrambled to his peds. "Sweetspark it isn't what it looks like!"

I backed away shaking my helm from side to side like that would make the image of what I had seen disappear. But it didn't. Nothing ever would. I wanted to be angry when all I could feel was sparkbreak. I couldn't even yell at him or scream or call her a whore like I wanted to.

"Clare she kissed me! You saw me push her away!"

My vocaliser emitted a strained whining sound that blossomed into a loud sob. I turned and ran before any of them could make a move towards me ignoring my mechs shouts for me to come back. Well I guess that they weren't mine anymore...

Bee looked up in surprise when I skidded into the hangar.

"Let's go!"

Sensing the urgency in my tone he shifted to alt mode quickly allowing me to dive into the passenger seat. He gunned his engine, peeling out of the hangar at the same moment that I caught sight of the twins running into it.

I ducked down against the seat sobbing uncontrollably while he boarded the plane. My creators were prodding at me through the bond trying to figure out what was wrong, but I firmly blocked them out.

The last thing that I wanted to do was talk about it. All I wanted to do was cry until I had a reason not to.

I was so beside myself that I did not even freak out when the plane lifted off.

I just sat there crying while we flew. Saying nothing even when Bee inquired as to what was wrong with me. He was worried about me, alternating between asking me questions to purring at me gently.

Eventually after all of my refusals to answer, he just settled on doing the latter.

Leaving me to cry for the rest of the trip, ignoring all of the comms popping up on my HUD from the twins. I wasn't ready to hear what they had to say, or acknowledge it logically, or even to care about any excuses.

Screw them. Screw all of it.

* * *

After we touched down several hours later I received a text from Mikeala telling me that she had found something in her garage that we might want to have a look at, that and that Sam had called her frantic about something. After answering her and talking it over Bee and I decided to pick her up on the way.

By now I had run out of tears to cry, though when she got into the driver's seat her jaw dropped. I didn't need to ask her why. I knew my human form looked like a mess. I hadn't even wanted to change back to it because of the way my eyes swelled up from crying, but Bee had told me that it was safer to do so.

So now I sat in his passenger seat huddled up in my seatbelt, with swollen eyes, messy hair, paler than normal skin...

She shoved something into the back seat, a metal box that sounded like it had someone talking inside of it. I barely spared it a glance as she slid in, looking even more worried by my lack of reaction.

Bee pulled out of her garage and onto the road while she scooted over towards me. "Oh my God Clare you look awful! What happened?"

"Sides cheated on me." I murmured in a raspy voice.

Her eyes actually bugged out, Bee nearly swerved off of the road, and I just sat there uncaring about whether we hit traffic going in the opposite direction or not. "No! Clare there had to have been a mistake! I mean Sideswipe...I mean he wouldn't have done that! He couldn't have!"

"He did. I saw him with ShimmerNova. She was on top of him kissing him and humping him." A strangled whimper bubbled up in my chest. "I just don't understand it." Tears started streaming down my cheeks again.

"Oh Clare..." Mikeala took me into her arms and rocked me. "Everything will be ok."

"I just don't know why he would do something like this to me!"

"Males do stupid things sometimes."

I buried my face into her shoulder every part of me shaking like a leaf. "Why did I ever bother with any of this?"

"Because you love them."

The truth in that statement only made me cry harder. Because I did love them more than I ever thought possible at the beginning. I gave them my everything, my first kiss, my first sexual touch, my seal. And then Sides just throws it back into my face after sating himself with me only hours before! "I just feel so used."

"That's normal sweetie. What you're feeling is completely normal. He broke your heart...spark I mean." She hastily corrected. "You're hurt that he was with another femme like that, when you three were supposed to tie yourselves together in days! I would be heartbroken too."

"He fucked me this morning too." I felt the need to tell her for some reason. "Both of them did! Then he just goes to her like it's no big deal!"

"I know." Mikeala cooed to me sympathetically. "Tell me all about it. Everything. I'm here to listen."

That's just what I did for the next few hours while Bee drove. I told her everything that had happened, every promise that we all made to each other. Every instance where we had told each other that we loved each other. All the times that we had fragged...because I couldn't say that we had made love anymore when I wasn't sure if they really did love me anymore. The promise that we had made this morning to bond on Saturday. The way that they had taken me so passionately afterwards. Everything. I told her everything.

Even what I felt when I saw him kissing that whore. All the pain. So much pain that I could not even feel anger. The way that I had wanted to scream at both of them only for my pain to swallow me whole to the point that I couldn't even speak.

I told her about how they had called for me to come back, how Sides had said that she had kissed him. How I had run and not even looked back. How I had ignored their attempts to contact me ever since I left.

Through my hours long tangent she just sat there listening, comforting me, letting me rest my head on her shoulder even though my tears were staining her shirt. At the end of it all though...I felt a little bit lighter now that someone knew all of it. The pain was still eating me alive, but it was slightly more bearable.

Besides I had a mission to complete. I needed to concentrate on why I had been sent here.

I forced myself to calm down as we pulled up in front of Sam's college. We were here for something important. Emotions could not get in the way of something that could turn into a life or death situation. And that's exactly what this was, a possible life or death situation for all of man kind. Because if the Autobots were forced to leave the Decepticons would hunt the humans down until none remained.

"You sure you want to go in there? If you want to wait I can go get Sam."

"Yeah. Let's go." Straightening my shoulders I grabbed the box from the backseat and got out of Bee. Mikeala followed and together we made our way up to Sam's dorm room. Every few steps the box or whatever was inside it would curse. forcing me to smack it into the wall to shut whatever it was up.

When we reached Sam's room however, all I wanted to do was murder the entire male species.

Because when we opened the door there was Sam on his bed with some blonde girl on top of him kissing him senseless. Just like what Sides had been doing with Shimmerslut earlier.

Both of them looked up when we walked in. "Is that your girlfriend?" The girl asked.

"Ex." Mikeala deadpanned before turning and walking away. Leaving me there staring at Sam with cold eyes as he scrambled up to chase after her.

"Mikeala wait! It isn't what it looks like!" He called out.

Before he even cleared the door his blonde slut almost made me have a spark attack when her tongue shot out of her mouth and wrapped around Sam's throat. What the frag?! She was a pretender!

Mikeala came rushing back while I stood there a little too shocked to move after what's her name slammed Sam into the wall. She took one look at what was happening, grabbed the metal box, and chucked it at the blonde she-bot. It crashed through the window above her head distracting her enough for Sam to slip out of her hold.

Unfortunately Leo came back at that moment that she bot tried to lash out at us with her tongue thing. "Holy shit!"

We all ducked down as I shouted at them to run for their freaking lives. They didn't need to be told twice either because they all took off down the hall like bats out of hell. I chased along behind them keeping an eye on what's her name who was now in her bot form, slutface that I really did not like. The similarities between her and ShimmerNova were just too close for me to not want to kill her.

Somehow we raced between the dormitory with Sam screaming like a little girl the whole way, then into the library where all of us bunked down against several bookshelves.

"Oh my god I can't believe that I almost had sex with her in my dream!" Leo whispered.

Mikeala and Sam ignored him as the former started ribbing on the latter. "I can tell that you really miss me a lot Sam!"

"Look it's not my fault ok?! I am a victim here!"

"A victim of what? Of what? A little eighty pound girl?" Mikeala hissed.

"It was like being molested!" Sam whisper yelled back. "It was like getting humped in the neck by a mountain ox!"

"You didn't have to put her tongue in your mouth!"

"I didn't!"

"You did!"

"Look! Have you ever had your stomach tongued by a mountain ox with a five foot tongue? It wasn't fun for me! Ok Mikeala? And it smelled like diesel! It had like a diesely tinge to it!" He made a weird face.

"You are such a little girl!"

"Agreed." I piped in angrily. When we got home I was going to have some serious words with him!

"Ok that's it! Ten seconds of silence!" Sam turned away from us.

"You can't give me the silent treatment you know why?"

"Shhh! Shhhh! Not listening to you! Ten seconds of silence!" Sam whispered.

"You know what? I hope you had a lot of fun because this! This is over!"

Leo leaned over in front of me so that Sam could see him. "She violated your orifice with her nasty alien probe? She did it? She went in there? All of her little embryo alien babies are probably gestating and hatching inside of you! You need to vomit right now! Yak it!"

What the frag Leo!?

Sam turned a sickly green before he actually did yak it all over the floor. GROSS!

"Who the fuck are you?" Mikeala hissed at Leo.

"Leonardo Ponce De Leon Spitz and I'm the key to all of this!"

"This is Sam's roommate. He's some kind of weird conspiracy freak who doesn't know jack yet." I told her irritably.

"Yes I do!" He argued! "The aliens want me because of my site!"

No sooner had he sait that the wall on the other side of the library was blasted into bits. Miss Medusa looking slutface walked in as we all scrambled out of our hiding spots. I quickly switched to my bot form as I opened a comm. link to Bee.

**:Hey Bee a little help here? This Medusa lookin bot is here blowing the crap out of the school! We could really use the help!:**

**:Sorry Clare I'm a little tied up with Barricade right now! Think you can handle her for now?:**

**"Yeah! Yeah I'm on it!: **

**:Ok! I'll comm the rest of the Autobots! Just keep yourself and the others safe!:**

We cut the link as I stepped out to intercept Medusa. "You guys go ahead! I'll catch up after I kick her aft!"

They ran out through the large opening in the wall after sparing me a worried look. I knew what they were thinking...it was my first real fight. But I knew that I could do this! Chromia had taught me well. This little mouth humping glitch was going down!

She did not want to fight me that much was obvious in the way she kept looking for any openings to get by. I kept her blocked in so she couldn't. If she wanted to go she was going to have to kill me first!

I could tell the exact moment that she realized that I was onto her game, because she pulled out her cannons and fired at me forcing me to duck and roll towards her where I came up with my gauntlets and swiped at her midsection when she tried to use my move to leap over me.

Trace amounts of energon leaked from the wound making her hiss in outrage. She turned her attention towards me kicking out at my chassis in a lightning fast move.

I slid back with a grunt chassis sporting a small dent but at least I had her attention now. I had her right where I wanted her. Focused on me as an actual threat.

Her hair like tentacles lashed out with their serrated edges scoring a few glancing blows, the rest I blocked with my blades before crossing the distance quickly and jamming my shoulder into her chassis. I rammed her into the bookshelf in front of me pinning her as I brought my blades up to jam them through her middle.

She released an unholy screech of pain, tentacles jamming themselves into my frame wherever they could find purchase in a frantic attempt to dislodge me. I held fast twisting my wrist and jerking a large portion of her stomach armor off.

Her tentacles started whipping me relentlessly, tearing at armor like white hot whips. Frag if it didn't hurt either! What sent me reeling back was not that but a well placed cannon blast to my shoulder.

I was lucky that it only hit my shoulder...not my helm. It blew right through the surface armor and out the other side sending me flying back. My claws were still buried in her hide so she ended up being jerked back with me when I didn't let go. Both of us burst through the wall next to where we had been fighting, rolling over one another, clawing and hissing.

She tried to blast me with her cannons again but I jammed my blades into her shoulder mounts to disable them. There was a saying, 'don't bring a knife to a gun fight.' Well that was kind of what I had been doing. If I was smart I would have brought my sniper rifle at least.

We came up a fair distance away immediately circling each other.

"Clare!" Sam shouted from somewhere nearby.

Idiot! As soon as he spoke her attention was back on him! And now there was more than a suitable opening for her to take off! Which is just what she did!

Two vehicles came screeching into the lot as I gave chase. I noticed them immediately because of what they were. Lamborghinis, one gold and one red. What the frag were they doing here?

A surge of anger took over fueling my adrenaline. In an astrosecond I had crossed the distance separating my target and I slamming into her from behind. I pinned her down on her front allowing her tentacles to scratch my armor, her weak spots popping up across my HUD.

I slammed my claws into her neck and just tore her spinal struts right out with a sickening crunch. She instantly slumped down beneath me. Dead. All I could do for a few astroseconds was stare down at her spine dangling from my servos. It was the first time I had killed anything other than a spider, or those minibots the other day.

It sort of numbed me from the inside out. Her spine falling to the ground with a sickening thud when I stood. I should be feeling accomplished right? Right? I had taken my anger out on her. She had posed a threat to my cousin and I killed her. So I should feel good right?

No. I didn't feel good. After the rage abated the sadness and anger still prevailed. So what purpose did inflicting pain to distract me from mine serve? It could never take it all away. The knowledge that I had no right to take life to ease my own suffering would always make the pain worse in the end.

But she was a threat. She did need to die. But not to soothe my pain. I had to learn to differentiate and separate all of that in these situations.

"Clare come on!" Sam called again.

"Clare?" Another, familiar, more hesitant voice called at the same time.

My jaw clenched to prevent me from crying again. If I looked at him, either of them I was going to lose it. So I would just walk by like I never heard him. He could go back to his throat humper as Sam would phrase it. In fact both of them could go get throat humped together.

Sunny popped up in front of me with my rifle in hand and a solemn look on his holoform face. "You can't just ignore him forever Clare."

I snatched my rifle and rifle rounds from him. "Oh but I can ignore him. He hurt me."

"It was a misunderstanding baby."

"We have other things to worry about right now instead of Sides cheating. I have to go with Sam. Maybe if I'm feeling less hateful we can talk later."

With that I stomped past him to get into the car that Mikeala had hotwired. "Thanks for killing Sam's new girlfriend. Oh I mean his now dead no longer living girlfriend!"

"You're welcome."

Sam just threw his arms into the air in a _'wtf'_ gesture. "She throat humped me! I was violated by a robot!"

"Quiet diesel licker." I muttered as Mikeala pulled away from the school. Sides and Sunny followed along behind us while she drove. Every few astroseconds I would look behind us at them almost like I could feel their gazes weighing into the back of my helm. Well I kind of could. That and Sides was still trying to get through to me over comm.

I really should have been paying attention to what was going on in front of the car, because one moment I'm looking at them, and the next the car suddenly jerks straight into the air. Like fifty feet off the ground!

We all screamed in terror, being jostled around the car from the force.

Sam's door flew open out of nowhere causing him to tumble out of it.

"SAM!" Mikeala screamed. Sam? He was already screaming like a little girl.

Dammit! I shoved my own door open and crawled out onto the side of the car using my electromagnetic manipulator to stick to it like Spiderman. Part of me was tripping out because of my acrophobia! You know because of the whole side crawling on a car at over fifty feet into the air...

I crawled all the way over to where Sam was dangling. "You idiot! It's called a seatbelt!" I yelled as I reached for his hand.

He lost his grip when the car was jostled falling through my grasp.

I lunged for him one servo latching onto the door with the very tips of my claws, the other grabbing a hold of the scruff of Sam's shirt. "I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU DON'T LEARN HOW TO USE A SEATBELT I'M GOING TO KICK YOUR FUCKING ASS! CLIMB BACK UP OVER ME!"

Sam scurried back up my arm where he latched onto the door more securely than me, before turning and offering me a hand to help steady me. Together we got him back into the car safely, him with a seatbelt on this time!

"Hand me my rifle!"

"What are you going to do?" Sam yelled.

Why didn't I just subspace the damn thing?! "Just give it to me!"

He handed it to me.

Strapping it onto my back, I climbed up onto the top of the car where a giant magnet was attached to a helicopter. So that fucker was carrying us? Well screw him! "Hey afthole! I'm going to shoot you right in the fuckin sodpiece!"

I lined up a shot to do just that when all of a sudden my comm channel just exploded. Both twins must have sent me a dozen comms within three astroseconds! It was so fragging distracting!

Finally I got tired of it.** :WHAT?!:**

**:Don't shoot him!:**

**:Why not?!:**

**:Because you're about to be flying over a large body of water!: **

What the frag? Sure enough when I peeked over the edge of the car we were flying over a river. A big one. I turned back towards the twins in time to see them come screeching to a stop at the edge of the bridge that extended over the river. Their holoforms popped out of their alt modes, each calling out for me.

"CLARE!"

All I could do was watch them until they disappeared from sight before scrambling back into the car. I subspaced my rifle just in case. I mean I knew that we had been captured by a Decepticon, the last thing I wanted was to lose my only ranged weapon. Of course I knew that they could raid my subspace easily if they wanted to.

Whoever had taken us flew all the way into the warehouse section of the city where he released us from his magnet grappler. We went plummeting through the roof of one of said warehouses, all of us screaming bloody murder.

The car crashed down onto its hood before flipping onto its roof. It left Sam, Mikeala, and Leo more dazed and confused than me but then again I was built stronger than a human.

I panned my helm around trying to see through the dust. The first thing that I noticed were several sets of peds...silver or gray? I couldn't quite make it out through the debris and dust. That's what they looked like though.

A large blade was jammed into the space between my helm and Leo's head. A saw of some kind! It started rotating as it tore straight through the middle of the car. Holy slagging shit!

The car fell into two pieces, each laying on the side exposing all of us.

A familiar large seeker leaned down on servos and knees over us. Spit dripping from his mouth. Freaking disgusting! It was Starscream if I recalled correctly.

He was taken in second to who else was there... And when I saw him my optics widened in pure fear. Because Megatron was supposed to be dead! Yet here he was standing in the same room with us...

As scary looking as ever.

**:Ummm Houston we have a problem and his designation is Megatron.: **I gulped over the public comm link.

Immediately a cacaphony of voices were yelling back at me, asking questions, demanding answers.

Answers that I didn't have time to give.

"Come here boy." Megatron ordered. His optics drifted to me and narrowed. "You too femme bot."

OH SLAG!

* * *

R&amp;R! That cliffhanger ending! Sorry guys but I had to end it there because I have to babysit! I'll start working on the next one ASAP! Well since I'm pretyping these by the time this is posted the next one will already be done! But yeah whatever! Until next time! Review time!

**Coolgal02**\- Haha stoned Judy is freaking funny I have to admit! And yeah that's just how Clare rolls!

**Miyukumu**\- Hohohoho I'm glad that you love it!

**Moonlightdeer**\- I never get tired of stoned Judy or any form of her really! I was almost dying of oxygen loss to the brain from writing this!

**CastielLunaWinchester**\- Sunny chill? Haha not likely! Thanks for the review!

**himelove22**\- STONED JUDY WOOOO! Glad you liked it!

**HeartsGuardianSol**\- Hide is most probably pussy whipped I have to say! Haha! And you'll be waiting for a while to see what exactly that shard did!

**Silent Shooter**\- Yes, yes they are!

**DarkshadowXsunny-sides**\- I would have dragged them away too and said well have fun at college Sam I'm going to go get laid! And yes Sunny is a dominating fragger that we all love! LOL!


	32. Chapter 32: The Beginning of a Rewrite!

So I have decided to rewrite this chapter, well more like edit it and change it up a bit, because I am rewriting the rest of the fic from here! So from here on out the chapters are going to be vastly different than before, and the story is going almost completely AU, with only some situations that were from the movies that will be tweaked to fit this new plotline. I wanted to do something different with the TF fandom, something that gives more depth to where everything came from, that ties into legends that we have on Earth today! It's sort of a collaboration with a friend of mine, and a lot of it is based off of her fic Extinction isn't always forever! I got a lot of the ideas from it, and I've helped her a great deal with her own storyline, and many factors in it! But the plot is different for this fic, somewhat at least! I really hope that you guys will give it a chance, and be open minded about it! Thanks!

**TF Fan-for-life**\- Muahahahahahaha I am the cliffhanger master! There will be many more that will drive you even more crazy!

**HeartsGuardianSol**\- Uh oh is right! It only gets worse from here! Or better...depends on which way you look at it!

**himelove22**\- She's a stupid bee-otch! Oh SNAP is right! How did you like this one?

**ThePegasusDevice**\- Ha ha it was all a misunderstanding, but yes some of the males in this story are very stupid. We might as well toss ShimmerNova into that category too!

**Coolgal02**\- *Evil laughter* That's how I roll!

**SweetSpark22**\- Well we talked your issues with this chapter out anyways. :D

**CastielLunaWinchester**\- Blowing holes in my ship? Ha ha! Yeah she is a bitch! And no Sunny doesn't really do chill when it comes to Clare.

\- I think a better thing to say would be Megatron is the end of all life! Well he wishes!

**Autobot 7**\- Sides is in trouble! Give it a few chapters and you'll see what's going on!

**DarkshadowXsunny-sides**\- All I can say is that situations can be misleading! Buckle in it's going to be a bumpy ride!

**SarahBloomSakura**\- You'll have to wait and see what that was all about! :D

**MidnightRaineStorm**\- Ha ha sorry you got mad! Here's another chapter for you!

**Moonlightdeer**\- Poor Clare... :(

* * *

**(Clare's POV) **

We were so dead! That was all I could think as Sam and I approached the railing where Megatron's ugly face was peering at us, comm chatter raging in my helm, Ironhide, Chromia, the twins, Optimus, all of them shouting questions at me.

**:What do you mean Megatron is alive?!:** Ironhide shouted over the comm link.

**:I thought he was offlined during the battle of Mission City! Clare what is going on?!:** That was Chromia.

**:I don't know! All I know is that he's here right now! He's right in front of us and he wants Sam and I for some reason! We can't get out! There's no way we can get past all of them!:**

**:Stay away from him baby! Run! Leave the humans behind! I don't care what happens to them but I don't want you to be offlined!:**

**:Sunny she's not going to leave Sam or Mikeala behind and you know it! Sweetspark is there any way that you can distract them for long enough to create an opening to get away?: **

My spark clenched when I heard Sides' voice...heard him calling me sweetspark again. It caused so much agony in me… So much… **:No there's nothing that I can do. If it was just one maybe I could do something, but it's Megatron, Starscream, and Blackout...: **

Sam was walking beside me towards him.

**:I'm going to leave my comm channel open so that you all can hear what's going on ok?:**

**:Ok. We are coming as fast as we can Clare. Just keep calm.: **Optimus responded.

"You remember me don't you boy?" Megatron growled.

Sam held his arms up in surrender. "Look just please don't hurt my cousin or them!"

"SHUT UP!" Megatron roared as he swiped out at us knocking us off of the cat walk. We both went flying through the air, only I never hit the ground because Megatron grabbed me up out of the air.

Mikeala released a terrified scream. "SAM! CLARE!"

Sam landed hard with a grunt on some kind of metal slab.

Megatron pinned him down while I struggled to do something to help. But I couldn't move an inch because of how tightly I was being held. "It feels good to grab your flesh! I'm going to kill you slowly and painfully! Then after I'm done your organic friends will be next!" He turned his helm to sniff at me. "But before that I'm going to have some fun with your femme bot friend. I don't know why you call her a term of endearment reserved for those in a familiar unit, but that must mean that she is important to you. So, I'm going to make you watch me kill her slowly and painfully first."

A chorus of enraged growls sounded over the comm link. None were louder than the twins and their death threats towards Megatron if he touched me.

"But first...we have some delicate operations to do."

I could see him squeezing Sam's arm, making him yell in pain. There was nothing that I could do to stop it, and that thought made me curse myself for being so small and weak, unable to help my friends and family when they needed me!

Megatron gave a delighted smirk upon hearing the pained cry. "I could snap your arm so easily..." He sounded like he really wanted to, but instead he gestured to the side at a little telescope that was sitting on a table, it transformed into a small shrimp like bot that scrambled up onto Sam. "Doctor examine this alien specimen." He chuckled darkly.

"I'm zee doctor! I need zee information!" He cackled before swiping at Sam's face with his pointed leg.

"SAM!" I yelled as I started struggling harder against my captor. All of a sudden I felt myself being slammed down onto the hard concrete beneath us, a pained cry escaping me as I found myself being pinned down by Megatron.

"Starscream?"

"Yes My lord?"

"This one is a little too spirited... Break her." He ordered.

Starscream grinned maliciously as he took over holding me down. "As you wish My lord." He purred.

I turned away from him just in time to see Sam with these tentacle things sticking out of his nose... His face was red, and he was obviously choking. Just seeing him like that made me want to throw up.

I wasn't able to stay focused on him for long because Starscream suddenly slammed a single clawed digit straight into my chassis, just beneath the spark chamber. My entire body arched from the sheer agony of having my spark chamber nicked, and an anguished scream escaped me before I could stop it.

Yelling could be heard through the comms, and from the bond to my creators. It had suddenly been thrust wide open due to my surprise, my pain flooding through it like a tidal wave. Instant rage came racing back, a sense of comfort accompanying it. They were both trying to calm the erratic thrashing of my frame before I did more damage to myself than anything.

Starscream cackled dangerously, before leaning into my face. "So pretty...it's been so long since I've seen a femme bot. You're so...alluring. Perhaps that Master will not care if I use you? Of course you may break in the process little one, but you will satiate me so not all is lost."

**:DON'T YOU FRAGGING TOUCH HER!: **Both twins roared over the comm link.

I whimpered when a single digit slid down to my valve where he ripped it off, a sharp digit quickly being thrust into me and forcing me to cry out. Everything in me wanted to cry and scream as he drove that sharp pointed digit into me repeatedly. It hurt so fragging much, almost as bad as when the twins had taken me for the first time, and it took everything in me to stifle my cries.

Not that it did much good because I could hear Mikeala screaming in the background. "YOU SON OF A BITCH! GET YOUR FUCKING HANDS OFF OF HER! YOU PIECE OF SHIT!"

He kept one digit buried into the underside of my spark chamber, while the other slid in and out of me, easily tearing at my insides. I bit my lip to stifle any sounds I was making, the pain so intense that even trying as hard as I could I still whimpered in agony.

And he just laughed as he kept going, switching to a softer motion designed to be more pleasing. "Awwww you're such a strong willed little thing aren't you? Not even one little peep. Maybe instead of trying to make you scream in agony I should try to make you scream in pleasure? Hmm? Would you like that femme?"

I panted harshly against the sudden shift in his attentions. Turning my helm, I spit in his face. "Frag yourself!"

He threw his helm back and laughed. "Mmmm I like this. But I must prepare you first otherwise I'll kill you from joining with you right away."

Disgust and revulsion crept upon me as my body started following the natural motions in this situation. I tried not to like it, even felt disgusted with myself for each small sound I made.

My body tried to arch when I overloaded but it couldn't with the way he was pinning me down. A strained whimper broke free from my vocalizer as I clenched around that violating digit. I had never felt so disgusted or ashamed of myself before. Never.

"You see? This can feel good can't it?"

"CLARE!" Sam yelled when Starscream climbed higher up my body. He didn't even seem to care about the small bot crawling around his head, his terror filled eyes were instead completely locked on me as Starscream prepared to defile me more intimately this time.

Megatron was sitting near him, watching the events that were transpiring with sick satisfaction.

In my desperation to not see what was about to happen to me, I just stared at Sam, even when I felt a giant spike position itself against my opening. With the size of it I would literally be fragged to death I was sure of it. But if I was going to die...

_**'I'm sorry Sam. For everything. For being angry at you. I love you. Take care of Aunt Judy and Uncle Ron for me.'**_I mouthed.

Tears were welling in his eyes. He was shaking his head in denial though he understood what I was trying to say.

I felt Starscream press against my opening, my optics snapping shut as if that would stop it from happening. Then a sudden, loud commotion had them snapping back open when the warehouse ceiling exploded and several large forms fell from the sky.

It was Optimus, Bee, and the twins, and when the last two saw what was about to happen to me all pit broke loose.

They both snarled, baring their dentas which were now razor sharp due to their anger before charging at Starscream who had to scramble off of me in order to avoid being ripped apart. Both twins running right after him and firing their cannons at him, each sparing me a worried look as they moved to block the con off from me.

Sam suddenly appeared above me, eyes wide and filled with tears. "CLARE! CLARE ARE YOU OK?"

Did it look like I was ok Sam? I was just molested, my bits were torn from Starscream's damn claw, and I was shaking like a leaf. At least I wasn't so far gone that I couldn't be sarcastic at least in my own helm. "I'm ok Sam."

He helped me sit up, allowing me to get a good look at what was going on, at least for a klik. Bee was shooting at Blackout, Megatron was fighting with Optimus, and the twins were tearing the slag out of Starscream.

As soon as I had taken it all in Optimus spun around, grabbed both of us up, and took off running outside of the warehouse. When he cleared the building he shifted down to alt mode and took off, with Megatron hot on our heels.

"Are you alright Clare?" Optimus asked me as we pulled out of the city and into a wooded region.

"Yes I'm ok. Just a little shaken up." I murmured.

"As soon as I lose Megatron I will get you to Ratchet." He promised me. "He will need to have a look at the damage to your spark casing."

"Ok."

After that it went silent as we drove away from the city, further into a heavily wooded area. Or was it more like a forest? We were driving down a worn dirt path when I heard a commotion behind us.

I caught sight of a large jet of some kind closing in on us, opening firing once it was clear of the trees. The shots just barely missed us, but both Sam and I were thrown from Optimus' cab when he was forced to transform when Megatron did so and tackled him.

"Clare take Sam and hide!"

Didn't need to tell me twice! "Come on!" Grabbing a firm hold of Sam's arm, I tugged him through the trees leaving Optimus grappling with Megatron behind us. Both of them went flying helm over ped over us, landing in a heap in front of us.

We had to turn and swiftly take cover behind some trees nearby, where we continued watching the fight go down. Optimus bludgeoned Megatron over the helm with a freaking tree then used the opening to sucker punch him in the back. I was cheering for him in my helm because I wanted Megatron and Starscream to pay for what they did to Sam and I.

He was kicking old Megatron's aft too!

Megatron must have known that too because he called out for help, like a coward. "DECEPTICONS!"

Blackout was the first con we saw burst over the tree line in his copter mode. He transformed down and rushed at Optimus, knocking over trees in his wake as he rushed at Boss Bot.

Then Starscream showed up, only instead of joining in on the fight, he started chasing Sam and I, as did Megatron. The three were taking turns fighting Optimus to keep him away from us while he tried to keep them at bay.

Megatron was closing in on us the next time that I looked behind me. I wasn't sure how much damage it would do but I drew my rifle and fired at his right optic, his optic shattering, causing him to jerk back with a roar of anger.

My move provided Optimus with the opening to tackle him though. He pulled all three into a one Vs. three death match. He started throwing them all around like it was nothing, punching and kicking them when they got too close!

At least for a few kliks he held his own. Then they all turned the tables from focusing on us, and they closed in on him, apparently realizing that they wouldn't be able to catch us with him running pass interference.

"There is another energon source on this planet! The boy could lead us to it!" Megatron tried reasoning with him while all three were beating him down.

"OPTIMUS!"

Optimus was sent flying from a harsh kick from Megatron, literally flying across the field right over us. He was now heavily damaged, frame sparking from the various dents and cuts etched across its' surface.

"Is the fate of our race not worth the cost of one human life?" Megatron growled.

He struggled to his knees. "You will never stop at one. I'll take you all on!"

Sam and I were forced to take cover again when all four behemoths started going at it again, kicking up dirt and debris, and I had to pull Sam away and take cover to prevent him from breathing it in. For that reason, I couldn't see what exactly was going on for a moment, until I peeked around the patch of trees I'd tugged him behind, just as Optimus managed to kill Blackout, and badly damage both Megatron, and Starscream.

He came running over to where we were hiding right afterwards. "Sam! Clare! Where are you?"

I was about to yell back when I saw Megatron come up behind Optimus. "OPTIMUS! BEHIND YOU!"

My cry of alarm came too late, the cry too slow to prevent him from turning and blocking Megatron when he grabbed a hold of Optimus' shoulder and shoved his blade through his spark chamber.

"You're so weak." Megatron growled.

And then to make sure that it was a kill blow... he fired his cannon off through the gaping hole in Optimus' chassis. Time slowed down... because the Great Autobot leader should not be falling to the ground in defeat right? He shouldn't be falling, and his optics shouldn't be dimming with death…!

His last words weren't supposed to be... "Sam, Clare...Run." And his optics weren't supposed to go black, optic ridges shuttering as his vents gave one last hiss of exhaled air!

Because he wasn't supposed to die!

I rushed towards him, while Sam rushed towards the other Autobots who had just arrived. I fell to my knees beside him, pressing a servo against his spark chamber as I willed my power into it. Because he was supposed to live not die! Not here!

It was like... my power wouldn't respond! It flowed into him but did nothing! Nothing else mattered once I realized that I couldn't help him. Not the leader of the Decepticons towering over us triumphantly, not the other Autobots fighting near us.

My power failed me. That was all that mattered, and it made such an intense rage well up inside of me that the energy shifted.

And when Megatron leaned down as if to kick at Optimus' body I just reacted instinctively, marks suddenly bursting to life with a much stronger glow than normal as I thrusted my arm out, wanting nothing more than to direct this new energy at him. All I wanted it to do was hurt him! I just wanted him to fragging suffer!

The energy in me responded to this, shooting out from me in a wave of blinding energy formulated into a ball in my palm sent careening at him. It slammed into him sending him reeling back like a puppet, and I felt so much satisfaction when he slammed through several trees and hit the ground.

I was so enraptured with seeing him like that, laying there in a pile of dirt and broken tree stumps, that I didn't even notice the twins racing towards me until they got in between me and my target. One of them swept my up, I don't know which, all I did know was that I saw a flash of gold as I was forcefully carried away from the mech whom I wanted so badly to kill right now.

Whoever had me ran in the other direction as fast as they could, metal screeching and shifting around me once we were a fair distance away from Megatron. Then, I found myself cradled in who I now realized was Sunny's alt mode as he drove away from the scene of the battle.

He was talking to me, but I couldn't seem to hear anything that he was saying. I was hardly paying any attention to it either.

And when we pulled up behind several familiar alt modes I barely had any sort of reaction to it. I registered that it was Bee, and the Chevy twins but I really didn't care.

All of us ended up in a section of abandoned buildings with no foreseeable life forms around. It was safe enough for the bots to stay in their bi pedal modes, which they all did, Sunny transforming so that I was held safely in one of his servos.

Bee let Sam and Mikeala out before he transformed, then Sam stormed into the old building while Sunny was saying something to me.

He spun me around when I didn't give any sort of reaction. "Baby? Did you hear me?"

"What?" I answered dumbly.

He sighed. "I asked if you were ok?" His optics roamed down over the hole in my lower chassis, to the trace bits of energon coating my thighs. "I guess I didn't need to ask..."

"I'm fine. I do need to talk to Sam though."

"Ok. We'll be waiting out here." He gently caressed my helm before sitting me down on the ground.

Sam was sitting inside on a rickety old chair when I walked in, slumped over with his head in his hands. I approached him and sat down on a chair in front of him. "Sam?"

"I could've done something Clare."

"Like what Sam? What could you have done in that situation?"

"I don't know. All I know is that all of this is my fault. You getting hurt by that Starscream guy, Optimus dying. If I had just agreed to help Optimus in the first place none of you would have had to come after me. None of this would have happened."

I was quiet for a few moments. There was some truth to what he said, because if he had come with Optimus and Bee in the first place then we would not have had to come. But I also knew that if he knew any of this would happen he would have come without hesitation. Sam was just a teenage boy, selfish, and a little self-centered, but he had a good heart. He would never hurt somebot else on purpose.

"You agree don't you?" He looked up at me tearfully. "This is all my fault."

"Sam none of us can ever know what the future has in store for us. If you had known about any of this, you would have come. You're not heartless...maybe a little selfish but you're also a teenager."

"So that makes it all ok?" He asked sarcastically.

"No it doesn't make it all ok. But blaming yourself is not going to get any of us anywhere Sam." My spark clenched with my own guilt. "I'm just as much to blame as you are Sam."

"How? What did you do wrong Clare?"

"I couldn't save him." I clenched my servos into fists as my own optics welled up with tears. "I stayed to try and heal him, but it wouldn't work. I tried to keep him alive until Ratchet got there but my power wasn't doing anything."

"Clare that's different."

"Yes it is different!" I snapped, before shooting to my peds. "It's different because I tried to do something and still failed! I had the power to change things and I couldn't do it! And here you are blaming yourself for not knowing this would happen! Sam that's not fair! What are you a masochist? You can't take all the pain onto yourself!"

He didn't say anything back.

"He didn't blame you. Not even when you turned him away Sam. He understood that what he was asking you was something that would change your life forever. Maybe even endanger you. How could he blame you for saying that you wanted to live your life normally? That's something that I bet even he wanted sometimes... to live a normal life without the fighting or death. It was something that he was striving to make possible for all of us. So we have to keep trying to achieve that. We have to try helping as much as we can in his honor. Nothing else matters right now. Crying, blaming ourselves, none of it is helping us. So stop blaming yourself Sam and do something about it."

With that said I left him there to walk back outside, only Leo came in panicking before I could. The last thing I wanted was to deal with any of his baby fits.

"Hey you guys need to hear this!" He pointed at his cellphone screen. "They have a picture of me! We are dead! FBI, CIA, we are all wanted fugitives!"

Sure enough when I looked at the phone screen our pictures were on there, only mine was of me in my human form. Fragging pit! "What is this all about?"

"One of those red eyed freaks came on TV making all kinds of threats! He said that he would spare humanity or some shit if we were all handed over!"

Sam stormed past us to get outside, I turned and followed after him as Leo followed both of us while he continued panicking.

"Sam could you just pay attention for a second!" Leo said as he chased after us. "This is trouble on a whole new level!"

Sam's body lit up on my thermal vision, red hot with his temper. Oh slag. "You know what?" He suddenly spun around, grabbed Leo's phone before chucking it at the ground where he crushed it under his foot.

"Dude!" Leo yelled.

"They can track us!" Sam snapped angrily. Leo didn't seem to have any idea that any of that was possible. What an idiot. "Come on Clare." He led us back over to where everyone else was sitting.

Leo hurried after us. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! You mean like satellite track us?"

"Yes Leo! What part of super advanced sentient alien robots did you not understand? Of course they can track us!" I drawled irritably. If he said one more stupid thing I was going to freak out!

"That's it! I'm not even with you guys! I'm like a hostage! This is kidnapping what you're doing right now!"

And there went my temper. "LEO ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS RIGHT NOW?!" I spun on him as everybot else stiffened due to my outburst. "YOU WANTED THIS SHIT! YOU LITTLE FREAKY CONSPIRACY WEIRDO! WASN'T IT YOU WHO SAID THAT YOU WANTED PROOF OF ALL OF THIS CRAP?!"

He didn't say anything.

But I was on a roll and my temper was raging from stress, combined with the day's events. I thrust an arm out at Bee, and both sets of twins as if to say there it is! "YOU GOT WHAT YOU WANTED! LOOK RIGHT THERE! ALIENS! WHOOPDEE FUCKIN DOO YOU LITTLE ASS-STAIN! JESUS CHRIST I SWEAR TO GOD IF I HEAR ONE MORE MOTHERFUCKING PEEP OUT OF YOU I AM GOING TO THROW YOU OFF OF A GODDAMN BRIDGE! SO SIT THERE, SHUT THE FUCK UP, OR I'M GONNA STUFF YOU INTO BEE'S TRUNK!"

Mikeala came over and got between us. "Alright Clare let's just calm down ok?" She soothed me. "Leo's just scared. He's not used to any of this ok?"

"Yea cuz he's a pussy!" Mudflap smirked. "He's a downrigh' lil pussy!"

"Yo Mudflap wat are we gonna do wit' dis shrimp?" Skid asked.

"How 'bout we bust a cap in his ass an' trow him in da trunk so dat nobot eva knows?"

"Not in my trunk." Skids shook his helm at the idea. "How 'bout we ask Bee?"

"How about we don't bust a cap in anyone's ass?" Mikeala muttered in annoyance.

"How about we do..." I muttered under my breath.

"I am right here you know? I can hear everything you're saying! Ain't nobody poppin a cap in my ass!" Leo raged. "I've had a hell of a day!"

"ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS? I JUST GOT FORCEFULLY FINGER FUCKED BY A GIANT ALIEN AND YOU THINK THAT YOU'VE HAD A BAD DAY?" Oh that was it! That was soooo it! I was so done with this whiny little son of a bitch!

"Clare what did we just talk about?" Mikeala reminded me.

"I DON'T GIVE HALF A FUCK! IS HE FUCKING SERIOUS?! HE'S HAD A BAD DAY?! TRY GETTING SEXUALLY ASSAULTED IT'S REALLY FREAKING FUN! OH AND AFTERWARDS TRY GETTING CHASED DOWN BY A GIANT FUCKING ASSHOLE WHO WANTS TO MURDER YOU!"

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Sam quickly got between us. "Let's just cool it down a bit ok? At this rate you're going to murder him and that's not cool even if he is being a little bitch."

"Alright fine! I'm gonna go to the authorities and tell them the truth! Alright? I didn't have anything to do with this!" Leo started up again like an idiot.

Sam glared at Leo. "Clare was right! You wanted this right? You wanted the real deal? Wake up! You're in the middle of it! You want to run? Nobody is stopping you! Just stop fucking complaining!"

With that he dragged Mikeala away to talk to her.

"No one is going to make you stay Leo." I told him more calmly. "But if you do end up going back, and the cons get their hands on you, you're as good as dead. At least we're not trying to kill you… yet. Even if you are making the idea very appealing right now with your whining. All of them saw you with us, you're associated! That's not a good thing. The Government would hand you over in a second if they asked for it. Just thought that I should let you know that."

I left him there to plop down beside Mikeala, rubbing at my sore chassis and legs. The damage was slowly healing but it would be tender for some time. She gave me a worried look which I shrugged off. "Question what happened to that talking box from earlier?"

She blinked. "Oh Bee picked him up from the school."

"Him?"

"It's a long story." Best save for later was what she didn't say with words. So I let it drop.

Easy enough to do when Sides plopped down in front of me, both of us sharing a long look, but his was more assessing than mine. Then again he wasn't fragged up like I was.

"Diesel licker two!" Mikeala hissed at him.

He looked at her in surprise. "Diesel licker? What's that?"

Sam heard it and threw his arms into the air. "I WAS THE VICTIM! HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY THIS?!"

All the mechs looked at him in confusion, while Mikeala and I just scowled at him. I was still not letting that go.

"Are you ok sweetspark?"

I turned back towards Sides with a huff. "Yes I'm ok. Today hasn't exactly been good has it? First I catch you cheating, then we catch Sam cheating, then we get attacked by his little Roboslut..." I slanted another look Sam's way which he rolled his eyes at. "And you know the rest."

"Yeah. Sunny and I aren't happy about any of it."

I looked down at the ground in front of me. What was I supposed to say to that? We weren't together now, at least to me we weren't. I didn't know what they were thinking about the situation.

"I know that... it's not a good time but can I at least try to explain everything? Even after everything that's happened the last thing either of us wants is to lose you."

His tone was begging me to give him a chance to explain. I wanted to continue being angry at him but when he sounded so sparkbroken I had a hard time doing that. I guess more than anything I had to decide if I loved them enough to forgive whatever had happened?

Our optics met and I didn't know what to do. Now just... seemed like it was too soon especially after what had happened earlier. "I'll let you explain, just give me some time first."

"Ok. Just promise me that you'll listen to everything when we talk. Please?"

"I will."

He shifted slightly. "Can I sit here next to you? I mean can we sit here?"

"Sure."

His optics brightened as he scrambled to sit right beside me on the side closest to Mikeala and Sam, leaving Sunny to take my right so that he wasn't near them. Both of them scooting close enough that our plating was pressing together.

Exhaustion caught up with me causing me to slump down against Sunny's side, said mech curling an arm around me to keep me warm. My recharge protocols quickly popped up, pulling me towards unconsciousness.

A sudden movement from my peripheral vision had me jerking up ramrod straight. "Sam what the fuck are you doing now?"

He was scratching something onto the ground with a stick and muttering to himself. Everyone else was staring at him with obvious confusion, so with a sigh I stood to make my way over to him. "Sam what are you doing?"

"The symbols! Gotta get em down on something! If I don't it feels like my head is gonna explode!" He muttered.

"Symbols?" The ones he was carving onto the ground looked... Cybertronian? "Why are you writing those? How do you even know Cybertronian symbols?"

The mechs inched closer upon hearing my question. "Yeah how do you know them?" Sides questioned.

"It started that day in my room! It started that day in my room! That day when I picked up the shard that fell out of my jacket! Well not that exact day but right after that! They just come into my head sometimes and I've gotta write them down on something! Gotta get them down on something or my head feels like it's gonna explode!"

"Sam calm down a little bit ok?"

"If I get them onto the ground they're out of my head! Do you see? So I gotta get them down on something!" He repeated like he hadn't heard me.

I looked to Sunny for help. "Umm...?"

"I don't know baby. Some sort of effect from the Allspark shard. Can you read that Bee?"

Bee shook his helm.

There was no way that Skids or Mudflap would be of any-!

"Hey I recognize dat language!" Skids declared suddenly.

We all blinked owlishly. Umm what? "You recognize these symbols?"

"Yeah dat's old school stuff! Old Cybertonian! Serious stuff!" Mudflap explained.

"Well can you read it?" I asked.

Both of them shared a weird look. "Read?" Skids shook his helm.

"Naw, we don't do much readin." Mudflap agreed.

"And since Bee, and the only intelligent twins around don't know how to read it either well that means we're screwed." I deadpanned, as I knelt down to get a closer look at the symbols, a few of which didn't fit the mold of the rest. "Well if none of us can tell what it means..." I trailed off as I took a closer look at the other symbols, ones that looked more like etchings that looked quite a bit more jagged than the rest. "Hey Sam these symbols look different than the rest!"

He looked up and glared at me. "Well excuse me for not knowing what any of them are, or what they mean! They're just bouncing around inside my head and I can't get them to stop any other way!"

I just turned away with a huff and looked closer at the markings, which seemed oddly familiar… Wait… I could read them… "They say, **'Essence, Revival, and Transcendence'. **Huh… I wonder why Sam's scratching this shit down?"

It got extremely quiet, and when I looked up everyone was staring at me, the bots included. "What?"

"How they pit can you read that?" Sunny asked incredulously.

"I don't know. I just can I guess."

They all looked back and forth at one another awkwardly.

I just sighed, "Look it's not important… We should focus on trying to figure out how to find someone who can read the rest. I can't understand any of that for some reason, only the chicken scratches."

We all looked over at Leo, who had been silent for a while decided to pipe in. "Ummm I think I know someone who can read the rest."

"Yeah? Who?" Sam looked doubtful, but apparently everyone was switching gears to what was really important right now.

"RoboWarrior."

"You mean the guy that competes against your website and kitty calendars or whatever?" I snorted.

Leo scowled at me for the comment. "He's supposed to know everything and anything alien. He competes with my website, and one time we revenge hacked his website and I may have seen some of Sam's alien drawings."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Well at least we have something to go off of." Mikeala shrugged.

Sam stood up impatiently. "So let's go then!"

We all got into our respective rides, so all of them in Bee, and me in Sunny. He didn't really give me any choice in the matter either.

* * *

Several hours later we pulled up in front of a small meat deli. Ok so what part about a meat deli equates to another weirdo alien conspiracy freak guy? If this was a bust I was going to bust a cap in Leo's ass.

At one point during the drive Sunny suggested that I change back to my human form and disguise myself so nobot would recognize me, so now I wearing a black hoody, jeans, riding boots, and a pair of sunglasses. My marks were completely covered since I had a pair of black gloves on so that no one would see them and be able to recognize them.

All of us made our way into the deli, minus Skids and Mudflap who stayed outside on lookout duty. Even Bee came in with us though he stayed close to Sam, while the twins acted as my shadows, but that was because my spark had been hurting during the drive. I chalked it up to the whole nicked spark casing, but they weren't taking any chances with me right now.

Leo walked in slightly ahead of us just to make sure that this guy was here. When we walked in a moment later, we saw him talking to someone at the counter, and oh my freaking Primus! It was Simmons of all people!

"You have got to be kidding me." Sam and I muttered together.

"You!" Simmons pointed at me out of nowhere.

"Me." I responded sarcastically. "How's it going nutcase?"

He came around the counter. "Alright that's it! Everybody out! Meat store is closed!"

"Whoa hold on a second! You guys know him!?" Leo asked incredulously.

"Yup."

"We're old friends." Sam shrugged.

"Friends!" Simmons practically hissed. "You two got sector seven shut down!" Simmons glared at us icily. "No more security clearance! No retirement! No nothing! All because of this little know it all mouth!" He pointed at me, then be gestured towards Sam and Mikeala. "And you and your criminal girlfriend!"

The twins growled at him when he got too close to me. "Down boys. Down." I placated them gently.

The little pissing match was interrupted when some old lady behind the counter started yelling something about white fish to some guy with crooked teeth.

"How am I supposed to know?!" The guy snapped back.

Simmons spun to glare at him. "Hey!"

"What?!"

"You don't get Christmas bonuses by just standing around! You want those new teeth?"

"It's my dream!" Crooked teeth declared honestly. Ok this was getting a little weird even for me.

"Then help her out!" Simmons demanded.

"Wow you live with your mama?" Mikeala asked with a grin.

"No my mama lives with me. There's a difference."

I snorted out a laugh despite the situation. "Umm I don't think that there is a difference."

"You! You and I are gonna have it out one of these days." Simmons pointed at me angrily. "But hey at least my face isn't painted all over the news!" He smirked at us. "So NBE 1 is still kicking, huh? How did that happen?" He hastily backtracked for some reason. "You know what? Don't tell me anything. I don't know what's going on but I want nothing to do with it. Good riddance, I got bagels to smear."

Sam latched onto his arm to prevent him from walking away from us. "Just give us five seconds ok? We really need your help."

"Really? You need my help after you ruined everything that I worked for?" He asked incredulously.

Sam looked desperate. "Look! I am slowly losing my mind! I had a crab looking bot plunge a device into the soft tissues of my brain and start projecting freaky symbols like it's a stinkin' movie! My cousin got assaulted by one of them! And to top all of that off we're wanted fugitives! You think you got it rough?"

Simmons looked wary. "How do I know you're not lying?"

"What would it take to convince you?" I asked in a strained tone. My spark was started to build up in a brand new wave of pain, and the last thing that I wanted was to stand here arguing with him.

"Proof that you're not all bullshitting me."

"Fine!" I grabbed his arm before tugging him into one of the bathrooms. "I'll prove to you that we're not bullshitting you!"

Shifting to my bot form, I stood there for a klik or so to let him look at me, turning to show him every angle so he could get a good, long look. When I turned back around his jaw had actually dropped all the way to the floor.

"Yeah. Not bullshitting." I quickly changed back. "If you still need convincing then think about it like this! The whole fate of humanity rests on whether we succeed or not! You can either help us save the world or you can go back in there and cut some more meat up mama's boy."

With that I shoved past him out the door, almost running into everyone outside of it. Why they were standing there I had no clue, nor did I really care.

Nor did I look back when Simmons came out right behind me. "Ok I believe you. What do you need my help with?"

I walked over to lean against Sunny while Sam explained the symbols running through his head. This pain was odd, it was almost like my spark was expanding against my spark casing or something, instead of it just being caused by a small nick. It hurt like all the pits too.

"You ok baby?"

"Yeah I'm fine."

Both of them gave me a worried look. "You don't look fine to me sweetspark." Sides commented.

I shook it off and followed after Simmons, who led us all into the meat locker, through it then down into a secret door in the floor. "What you are about to see is a secret. Do not tell my mother." He warned us. "That means you missy!" He suddenly pointed at me sharply.

The twins snickered.

He led us down into a room that branched off into a series of rooms, all with pictures of alien spacecrafts, symbols that were not even Cybertronian, books, filing cabinets.

Wow he even had Frenzy's helm in a small case. Which Leo tried to touch until Simmons smacked his hand away. "Hey! Still radioactive so keep your hands off!"

Wow what an asshole.

Simmons held up a file with some more symbols that looked like what Sam was writing down everywhere. "Okay cube brain do these look like the symbols you saw?"

Sam looked them over. "Where did you get these?"

"Before I got fired I poached S7's crown jewel. 75 years-worth of alien research which all points to one inescapable fact. These transformers? They've been here for a really long time. How do I know?" He sat down a package in front of us. "Archaeologists have been finding these markings all over the world for years."

Simmons took the package from Leo and opened it spreading the pictures all across the table. "China, Egypt, Greece... Are these the symbols that you've been seeing in your head?"

"Yeah they are." Sam said in amazement.

"So tell me, how did they all end up drawing the same thing, huh? Aliens, I believe that some of them stayed. For example," Simmons opened another file before sitting it down in front of us. "Project Black-knife. Robots hiding in disguise all along."

In front of us were pictures of old cars, and airplanes.

"Radioactive signals all across the country. I pleaded on my knees for S7 to investigate it but they said no, that the readings were infinitesimal, that I was obsessed!" As if to make a point he slammed his fist onto the table. "Me! Can you imagine it?"

"Yes." I drawled sarcastically.

He pointed at me. "Not now missy. Not now."

Sam turned to Simmons. "Megatron said that there was another energon source here."

"Here as in Earth?"

"No on Mars. Yes of course he meant on Earth!" Jeez was Simmons stupid?!

Both of them ignored me. "He said that the maps in my head would lead him there."

"Did you talk to your Autobot friends about this?"

"Yeah. None of them knew anything about it." Sam explained. "It all went down before they were around."

"Before them? Well then we're porked." Simmons sighed. "Unless we can talk to a Decepticon. And well I'm not exactly on speaking terms with them, and neither are any of you."

"Actually...I am."

We all looked at Mikeala oddly. "Umm what?"

"Just hold on a second!" She left the room to grab something. When she returned she had the metal box from Bee's trunk.

"Let me out!" Something called from inside the box.

"Alright be careful, I don't know how he's going to react." Mikeala warned us as she grabbed the chain dangling from the box before opening it. A small minicon leapt out of the box causing Simmons and Leo to freak a bit. Luckily Mikeala had the chain wrapped around his neck so he couldn't get free.

"I'm gonna sic so many Decepticons on your butts!" Littlebot hissed.

Mikeala shoved a blowtorch in his face. "Behave!"

"You had a Decepticon in Bee's trunk this whole time?" Sam asked in shock.

"Yeah."

"What are you training him?"

"It's a work in progress." Mikeala shrugged.

Simmons was in a state of awe... "I've spent my whole life searching the Earth for aliens and you're carrying one around in your purse like a freaking Chihuahua."

"You wanna throw down you pubic fro head?"

"I'm sorry!" Mikeala cooed sweetly. "I'm so sorry about your eye! But if you're a good boy then I won't torch your other eye."

"So umm who is this guy?" I asked.

"My designation's Wheelie! And ain't nobot gonna torch my other optic!"

"We won't if you help us." Mikeala reasoned with him. "If you tell us what these symbols are. Please?"

Wheelie looked down at the pictures, apparently having been won over by Mikeala's flirting. "Oh I know that! That's the language of the Primes! I can't read it but these guys..." He pointed to some pictures of two old vehicles, one car, one jet. "Where the frag did you get pictures of these guys anyways?"

"Who? You mean these guys?" Sam asked, holding the pictures up for us to see.

"Yeah they're called seekers. They're the oldest of the old. They've all been here for thousands of years for something. I don't know what. Nobot tells me nothin. They'll translate these symbols for ya, and I… wait! That's not Cybertronian!" He pointed at some more of the chicken scratches that were present in the pictures.

"Why the frag all those things popping up everywhere? That's not even Cybertronian! Why would the thirteen Primes leave stuff like that behind?" Sunny mumbled in confusion.

Wheelie scratched his helm. "I got no idea! This planet is way younger then Cybertron, but that stuff seems to pre-date the language of the Primes. Well ain't nobot gonna be able ta read that scrap!"

I leaned over the table and peered down at the chicken scratches again, and once again I was able to read them. I wasn't really sure why, but the meaning was clear to me from a single glance. "It says, **'Data Log 221678930: We are still waiting for our Creator to awaken from his many millennia long rest, but with every cycle that passes our situation becomes more dire. Our Fallen bretheren has become relentless in his search for the Matrix and the promise of the power it will return to him. Power that was never rightfully his, but was only bequeathed in our most dire of conflicts against our Creator's unsavory relative. The Matrix is the key which gifts such power, and serves as the vessel which takes it back. If he were to gain control of it once more, and grasp the power it can give, I fear that he may unveil our most closely guarded secret, and give rise to an ancient power that will cause the devastation of all races due to their perceived unworthiness. We must do something… or else all that we have strived to prevent will come to fruition once more…' **Well that sounds bad… Does anyone else feel like the stakes just got raised like fifty times here?" I muttered to myself.

No one answered me, and when I looked up they were staring at me weirdly again.

I felt my face heat up with embarrassment. "Ok can everyone please stop staring at me like I'm insane?"

"Well what the pit else are we supposed to do when you suddenly speak chicken scratch?" Sides mumbled.

"I don't know! Just deal with it I guess! I don't understand it either! And can we please just focus on the seeker guys or whatever? Wheelie where is the closest one located?"

He shook my apparent speaking of the chicken scratches off easily enough, and turned to point a laser sight at the map, right over Washington DC. "The closest one is located there."

* * *

"This is the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum." Simmons said while he scoped the place out with some binoculars. "All I ever wanted to be was an astronaut." And then he went and ripped his pants off.

"WHAT THE FUCK?! ARE YOU WEARING A THONG?!" I shrieked, while quickly covering my eyes.

Sam looked at him disgusted as did the twins. "What is that?"

He turned towards me and the front of his thong said S7 on it. "What? I wear them whenever I'm in a funk. It's like a Giambi thing, Jeter. It's a baseball thing." He explained.

"Can you just put some pants on or something!" I demanded.

Simmons rolled his eyes before getting dressed. "Are you happy now?"

"Yes I am! Freaking nasty old man."

"Good! Now watches are synced! Sharp mind and empty bladder. You get caught, demand an attorney and don't ever say my name. Here take one of these pills slip it under your tongue! It's the high concentration polymer that they put in Oreo cookies. Tricks the polygraphs ever time. Ok now let's get this show on the road."

Leo proceeded to freak out when Simmons pulled out a taser. "Whoa! Whoa! I can't do this! Guys I'm not some alien bounty hunter! I don't want to do this! Guards have guns! I don't want to die!"

Simmons got into his face with a dead stare backing him up into Skids alt. "Kid! Kid! Kid! If you compromise this mission, and you are dead to me. Now look into my eyes...and tighten up that sphincter."

"What's a sphincter?" I asked Sunny.

"I have no idea." He grumbled.

"Ok! Now who wants to be the bait?" Simmons turned to me. "Actually Missy here would be a great distraction! Ok! I have a short little skirt and a corset top sweetness! What I want you to do is slip it all on, take this taser, seduce the guards, then zap them! Think you can do that?"

When he pulled out a short black leather skirt, a slutty red corset top, small black purse, and some stilettos my jaw dropped. "I AM NOT WEARING THAT!"

"Take one for the team sweetness." He thrust the items at me. "Get in there distract the Guards, I don't care if you have to strip to do it! Just draw their attention away from the door while we sneak inside. This is the price that you must pay for my continued help."

I clenched my jaw before backing away from him with my arms wrapped around my torso defensively. What part of I just got assaulted did he not understand, and now he wanted me to wear some slutty outfit in order to distract the very male guards inside of this museum? No way!

The twins sensed my distress and growled at Simmons, Sunny moving in front of me protectively while Sides looped an arm around my shoulder, then Sunny grabbed Simmons by the throat and lifted him up as if he weighed no more than a slip of paper. "She was just attacked sexually you pathetic meatsack! No way are you going to force her to do something like this!"

I was shaking in Sides' embrace, the situation forcing me to remember what had happened yesterday. With everything going on I had been able to force myself to forget, or at least to not dwell on it. But now, with Simmons' master plan in my face, well I was scared.

"Alright! Alright! So we'll have to think of something else!" Simmons relented.

Sunny sat him down before backing up next to me where he too wrapped an arm around my shoulders. "Have whiner over there help you." He pointed at Leo, then he turned his attention down to me after dismissing the rest of them. "Are you ok?"

"Yes." None of us even noticed Simmons take Leo into the museum, leaving us all to wait. We were so wrapped up in each other, both twins tugging me to sit down beside Sunny's alt with me on his lap.

One of his hands cupped my cheek turning my face towards his, warm breath ghosting over my face tingling my lips that were so close to his. All I wanted was for him to kiss me, to tell me it was all ok, even if it wasn't ok.

I must have conveyed that with the way I was looking at him, because he tilted his head down to press his lips against mine, more softly than he had ever kissed me before. My hands cupped his face allowing me to cling to him desperately. We didn't move our lips against one another, just stayed locked together.

Then another soft pair of lips pressed against my cheek, those staying completely still as well. The three of us just stayed locked together like this until Simmons called for us over the walkie talkie. We only separated then with reluctance so that we could join up with Sam and the other to make our way inside.

It was empty inside when we entered. Simmons met us near the entrance with a nearly comatose Leo trailing along behind him.

"What happened to Leo?" Sam asked.

"He tased himself like a rank amateur." Simmons stated offhandedly. "Come on!"

He led us back through the museum into a section housing various jets, and planes. Once we arrived there he pulled out a scanner of some sort and started flashing it at the planes.

Mikeala pulled Wheelie out of his box as well. "Be good!"

He gasped. "Gah! I'm claustrophobic!" It took him a moment, but he transformed down into a little toy truck and took off.

We all chased after him, and we all chased after him as he drove up and came to a stop in front of an old blackbird jet.

Simmons' scanner started going crazy as well. "You got what I got?"

"Yeah."

Wheelie shifted back to his bi pedal mode excitedly. "This is him! This guy is a legend! So how are you guys gonna wake him up?"

Well didn't that just stop us all in our tracks? How were we supposed to wake him up?

Primus fraggit!

* * *

R&amp;R!


	33. Chapter 33 (Rewritten!)

There is a lemon at the end of this chapter! I'm sure by now you realize that this story is being rewritten from chapter 32 and up! I also plan on going back and editing everything up until that point! Have patience and an open mind for the changes I'm doing. It's not Movie-verse anymore really! It's going almost completely AU, and it's a story that previously has not been seen in any TF cartoons or movies! That being said I do think that a lot of people will enjoy it if they give it a chance! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

Well now what the frag were we supposed to do? Apparently this guy was in stasis lock, like the kind that most never wake up from, and we had come all the way here... with no way to wake him up.

What could we do? We had to get his help otherwise the cons were going to kick our afts. Well considering that this guy was a con it was highly plausible that he might try and kill us too! So obviously we still had to find a way to wake him up anyways, I just hoped that the twins, both sets, and Bee were enough to subdue him.

But first things first, how to wake him up?

"Well what would wake him up Wheelie?" I asked him quietly.

"Well Allspark energy would do the trick! It was the reason that I was sent after your friend here! But she didn't have the shard like she was supposed to!"

Allspark power? Well maybe there was something that I could do if that was the case. It was a long shot because I had never used my healing to bring a bot out of stasis, but at this point what choice did we have?

The twins and I shared a look. "It's worth a shot right?"

I walked forward, coming to a stop in front of the seeker where I looked down at my arm nervously. Hopefully he didn't just shoot me as soon as he woke up cause that would just make my day...

"What are you doing missy?"

I reached out, my marks started to glow brightly as I touched him. "Waking him up."

Energy suddenly shot from me into him like when I healed bots, arcing into the air in a bright blue sphere that gradually spread out around his entire form until it had completely encompassed him. While I was working on him, Mikeala and Sam slipped underneath whoever it was, for some freaking reason. Don't ask me why, but seconds later I heard her start yelling. "It's a Decepticon!" Well no shit! I thought we were all on the same page about that!

"A Decepticon?" Simmons gasped.

Yes. We already knew that. Well at least I thought everyone knew that, but apparently not, because Sam ran by me with Mikeala, and the twins suddenly yanked me away as the big guy's form started shuddering violently for some reason, metal creaking and groaning as the plating that made up his alt mode started shifting as he broke apart in TCOG sequence, quickly transitioning from a jet form to bi pedal form. All I could think as the twins tugged me under another jet, was that he was freaking huge!

"What sort of hideous mausoleum is this?" The Con roared, his gears sputtering and creaking with every move he made, red optics shooting around the room. "Answer me pawns and knaves! Show yourselves or face my infinite wrath!"

Really scary when his body was groaning... and he was walking using a makeshift cane. We all shared a look, like we were asking each other if this guy was serious or not, before we all crawled out from under the jet one by one. The move caught his attention, drawing it towards us, and then he turned and approached us with a snarl curling at his lips.

"You little spinal-cord-based organisms!" He accidentally knocked down a rocket that was hanging from the ceiling, and for some reason this set him off and he kicked it across the hangar. "Bugger it! Behold the eternal glory of Jetfire! Prepare for those remote systems to override!"

Wheelie turned towards us. "I tell ya this guy did not age well."

"No doubt." Sunny muttered.

"Do you think he's gonna hurt us?" Mikeala asked warily.

I looked over at where Jetfire was pointing at the doors of the hangar. "I command these doors to open! Fire!" He stood there waiting for something to happen. "I said fire!"

A rocket flew out of him finally, only it flew backwards instead of forwards. It flew through the hangar forcing us all to duck down as it went past right over our heads! "Cut it out!" I yelped.

"Bullets!" He cursed before he rammed the door open with his shoulder. "Damn these worthless parts!"

"Wait a second!" Sam called out as we chased after him.

We chased him into a field outside where several more aircrafts were sitting. "Itchy! Retched! Rusty my aft!" He cursed.

"Oh the museum is gonna be so pissed! So pissed!" Simmons yelled. "Hurry up! We gotta catch that plane!"

"No shit Sherlock!" I cursed as we sprinted across the field, the bots holoforms dispersing and returning to their alt modes, which came racing towards us with the combined roars of their engines. They all transformed once they were close enough, warily eyeing Jetfire as he continued his rampage... well his senile rampage because that's what it seemed like it was.

"Right! I'm on a mission!"

"Wait please! Just hold on a second!"

"What do you want?!"

"We just wanna talk!" Sam tried reasoning with him.

"I don't have time to talk! I'm on a mission! I'm a mercenary doom bringer!" He looked around confused for a moment. "What slagging planet am I on anyways?"

"Earth!" Sam answered him.

"Earth?" He said in disgust. "Terrible name for a planet! Might as well call it Dirt! Planet Dirt!" He spat on the ground in disgust.

"Wow he would get along great with Sunny." Sides muttered. He yelped when Sunny smacked him upside the helm. "OUCH!"

Jetfire ignored them. "Tell me is that robot civil war still going on? Who's winning?" He asked before we even had a chance to answer him.

"The Decepticons!" Sam answered him.

"Awww slag!" He cursed as he spat again. "Well I changed sides to the Autobots!"

"Changed sides? What do you mean you changed sides?" I asked as the twins gave each other a wary look, obviously not trusting this bot, but then again they had fought in this war for a long aft time so trusting was hard. Especially when a bot said that he changed to their side when he was supposed to be a Decepticon.

"It's a choice, an intensely personal decision." Jetfire explained gruffly. "So much negativity! Who wants to live a life filled with hate?"

Wheelie suddenly piped in. "Ya mean I don't gotta work for those miserable Decepticons?"

"If Decepticons had their way they'd destroy the whole Universe." Jetfire explained.

Wheelie rushed over to where Mikeala was standing near me. "I'm changing sides! I'm changing sides to Warrior Goddess!" Then he started humping her leg. "Who's your little Autobot?" He grunted.

"Aww you're cute!" Mikeala smiled at him.

Wheelie looked up at me before switching to humping my leg. "I wanna be your little bot too! Name's Wheelie! Say my name! Say my name!" He panted.

Eww I could feel his little spike poking me in the leg! Gross!

"What are you two letting him do to your feet?" Sam muttered in disgust.

Mikeala smiled at him sweetly. "At least he's faithful Sam!"

"Well he's faithful, nude, and perverted. Can you just stop that?" He said, completely grossed out as Wheelie continued to hump my leg, before he switched back to Mikeala again, then like he just couldn't decide which he liked better he switched back to me again.

At least until Sunny came over and flicked him away from me. "Back off scraplet!"

Sam turned back to Jetfire once Wheelie was taken care of. "Now what were you saying?"

"I told you my name is Jetfire!" Jetfire roared as he slammed his fist into the ground. "STOP JUDGING ME!"

"Somebot shit the bed this morning." Wheelie muttered.

"I have issues of my own!" He told us indignantly. "It all started with my carrier!" He rambled on, and absolutely none of it was making any fragging sense! "My ancestors have been here for centuries!" He told us proudly. "My creator was a wheel! The first wheel! Do you know what he turned into? Nothing! But he did so with dignity! With honor dammit!"

A strange rumbling sound suddenly went through the air around us... before Jetfire farted, which caused a parachute to fly out of his aft and knock him flat onto his back. It took him a moment to sit up and look around in bewilderment for a moment.

"My boosters are fried." Jetfire mumbled as he scratched at his helm.

"I think that we can help each other. You know things that I don't know, I know things that you don't know. I do!" Sam reasoned.

Leo looked at Jetfire doubtfully. "I don't think that he knows anything honestly. I don't."

"If he can read the symbols he knows more than us." I pointed out.

"Right!" Sam agreed. "Simmons you got something that I can carve into the dirt with?"

Simmons pulled out a large combat knife from his pocket. "Who do you think you're talking to kid?" He smirked.

"Thanks!" Sam snatched it and started carving the symbols in his head onto the dirt, minus the chicken scratches. "This happens to me all day! It comes in waves!" He muttered while he worked. "It's these vivid symbols! They're symbols! But they're in my mind you see? Megatron wants what's in my mind, him and someone called the Fallen."

"The Fallen?" Jetfire asked in surprise. "I know him! He left me here to rust! The original Decepticon! He was terrible to work for! It's always apolcalypse this, chaos that, crisis... These symbols they were part of my mission for the Fallen! I remember now! It's all coming back to me!"

I heard Sunny sigh behind me. "Get on with it scrap heap." He muttered.

"My mission was to find the daggers tip... and the key!"

"Whoa slow down a second ok! The daggers tip? The key? What are you talking about?"

"There's no time to explain! Hold on tight or you'll die!" Jetfire exclaimed as this weird energy started enveloping us.

One blink of the optics and we're there in that field, then the next I'm crashing into a pile of sand with enough force to make me cry out as my chassis slammed into the sandy ground, which still hurt like a slagging glitch! As I sat there moaning in pain, I could hear the others yelling nearby, loud bangs sounding when the bots hit the ground as well. What the frag had he done to us?

I sat up groaning in pain every part of me sore from hitting the ground. My optics panned around me trying to make sense of where I was now.

"SAM!" I heard Mikeala call out. "CLARE!"

"MIKEALA! SIMMONS! CLARE!" Sam called back.

"CLARE WHERE ARE YOU?!"

I looked towards where I heard Sunny's voice coming from. "OVER HERE!"

Both he and Sides came running over another dune, both covered in sand from helm to ped. Sides quickly knelt down beside me and looked my chassis over closely. "Are you ok sweetspark? Did the fall hurt or jostle your spark casing?"

Yes, but I wasn't going to slow us down by making a big deal about it. "No I don't think so. We should catch up to the others though."

"Yeah. Come on then." Sunny swept me up onto his shoulder. "Uck look at all this organic dirt on my finish!" He scowled down at the coat of sand covering him from helm to ped.

We made our way back to the others where Leo was screaming something about being in Vegas. But at least all of us were back together though, including Bee and the dumb twins. "We're not in Vegas Leo." Mikeala told him.

"Let's just find Jetfire ok? He'll know what's going on."

"Yeah I doubt that." Leo muttered.

Sam ignored him. "Look there he is up there!" He pointed to a rocky outcropping near us.

They walked over to it while I continued hitching a ride on Sunshine's shoulder. As soon as we got within audio range, Simmons started ribbing Jetfire for what he just did while the rest of us minus the twins sat down.

"That really, really hurt! You're just lucky that I didn't get hurt! People could've been killed! And if I would've gotten hurt you would've heard from my Mother!"

"Oh shut up!" Jetfire growled. "I told you I was opening a ground bridge! It's the fastest way to travel to Egypt."

"Technically you didn't tell us anything." I muttered.

"Yeah she's right! You didn't tell us anything!" Sam agreed. "Why are we even in Egypt?!"

"Don't you get snippy with me fleshling! You were duly informed!"

"Ok can you just stop for a second? Can you focus? Can you tell us why we're in Egypt so we can all have a little bit of some semblance of peace of mind?"

"This planet was visited by the earliest of our ancestors millenium ago!" Jetfire declared. "They were on an exploratory mission to harvest energon, the lifeblood of our race! Without it we will all oxidize and rust just like my wretched self!" He sounded bitter at the end of that little tangent. "Do you have any idea what it's like to slowly fall apart and die?"

"Not fun." I guessed.

Simmons held up a hand to stop Jetfire before he could start ranting again. "Ok old man let's not get episodic ok? Beginning, middle, end! Facts! Details! Condense! Plot! Tell it!"

"At the beginning of our race there were thirteen Primes who were created by our Creator Primus, to aid him in a great battle against his adversary Unicron, who desired to eradicate all life. Legends tell that they were given a great power that aided in the battle against him, but when he was defeated Primus reclaimed the power he gave them through use of the Matrix of Leadership."

"Why did he take it back? And what does that have to do with what's happening now? I thought this whole battle was taking place over an energon source?" I asked him.

"To the rest of the cons that may very well be the reason for their recent actions, but I have long believed that tThe Fallen has his own agenda that doesn't have anything to do with the Sun Harvester."

"Sun Harvester? What's that?"

"It's a machine that our Ancestors used to harvest energon by destroying suns." He explained.

My jaw actually dropped. "Destroying suns? Why the frag would anybot wanna do that?!"

"Because energon can be harvested from the core of a sun that has been destroyed. That was why the original Thirteen came here in the first place, but when they discovered sentient life forms on the planet, they decided not to activate it and doom the human race."

"Thank Primus for that…" I muttered. "So The Fallen… what about him? You said that you think he has a different reason for wanting the Matrix of Leadership right? Why does Megatron want it then? What does it have to do with the Sun Harvester or whatever?"

"The Matrix is a key, it always has been closely linked with any and all relics Primus left behind. It is the key that will activate the Sun Harvester, and the cons need that energon to survive. The Fallen knows this, and he has planted the seeds for this mounting rebellion by using that which Megatron and his forces need to survive. He's using them for his own personal agenda, and what better way to do so? He knows that they need the energon, and they think that he needs it as well, so he manipulates them with that which they think they know. But I have always believed that there is a different reason for his actions, as one of the original Thirteen he knows many things that the rest of us do not. I believe that he seeks the Matrix to reclaim the power that Primus took back from the original Thirteen Primes."

"I still don't understand what power you're talking about… If The Fallen is Cybertronian… he does need the energon right?"

"I don't believe so."

Well didn't that just… confuse the ever loving frag out of me? "Then why? What is this power that the Matrix took back from him? That has to be the other reason that he wants it right?"

He nodded. "That's what I believe, but I don't know what the power is. I've only heard stories, and they're all obscured by the flow of time. Nobot left alive besides The Fallen has any idea what it does, not even the current Primes. From what I understand this power was never bequeathed to one of Primus' chosen again. If our Creator never wanted to give it to any of his creations again, then he must have believed that it would do more harm than good, but Megatronous never cared for what our Creator wanted. He's long since become tainted with greed, and his desire to control and destroy all is absolute."

I looked around at everyone else, all of them staring at Jetfire with expressions of fear, in the human's cases, and a mix of that and confusion in the bot's cases. Personally, I was caught somewhere between the two, and it left me feeling more numb than anything. All of this was a lot to take in… but we still had to do something…

I knew that was true, we had to do it, and it filled me with resolve, even if I was scared. Looking up at Jetfire, I met his aged red optics with my own determined ones. "That means we have to keep The Fallen from getting the Matrix. We have to find some way to defeat him right?"

"Yes, but only a Prime can defeat The Fallen."

Optimus' face flashed across the forefront of my processor making my spark ache for different reasons this time.

"Optimus Prime?" Sam asked.

Jetfire leaned down into Sam's face. "You've met a Prime? Is he here? On this planet? Is he alive?"

"No… He sacrificed himself to save Sam and I." I bowed my head dejectedly, spark clenching in its' chamber again... He was dead… because I couldn't save him…

"So he's dead." Jetfire sighed in disappointment. "Without a Prime it's impossible. No one else could stop The Fallen."

I buried my face into Sunny's cheek with a soft whine, one of his servos cupping me in an attempt to comfort me.

"Wait a second! So this same energy that's going to be used to activate the machine... Could it be used to reactivate Optimus and bring him back to life?" Sam asked.

My head popped back up.

"It was never designed for that purpose, but it is an energy that is like very few others."

"Ok so how do we get to the Matrix before the Decepticons get to me?"

"Follow your mind! Your map! The symbols! What you carved in the sand! It's your clue!" Jetfire tapped his helm. "When dawn alights the daggers tip, the three kings will reveal the doorway! Find that doorway! Go now! It was my mission, now it's your's! Go before the Decepticons find me or you!"

"Wait!" I yelled when Sunny went to walk away. "Sam's been scratching symbols down that don't look Cybertronian!" I tapped Sunny's cheek to get him to put me down, and once he did I used my finger to draw Sam's chicken scratches on the ground. "These mean, **'Essence, Revival, and Transcendence.' **Do you know why he's scratching these into the ground? They don't seem to be linked to the Cybertronian race at all, but for some reason when Sam got shocked by the Allspark shard he started seeing them too. On top of that they showed up in some pictures that had ancient Cybertronian symbols in them, and similar marks were present too, only it was an entire data log."

He leaned down to inspect the marks I'd drawn into the sand… "I've seen The Fallen make symbols like that, and he sometimes spoke in an odd guttural language. I couldn't understand what he was saying as the language itself was not made up of words like the ones we're speaking now, but more like growls and hisses. When he spoke it he sounded like a cyberanimal more than anything else."

"So you don't know what it is?" I asked despondently.

"I'm afraid not… Now you have to go! Find the Matrix before The Fallen does! Don't let whatever plans he has for this universe come to fruition, or I fear all life as we know it will cease to exist!"

Well when he put it that way he didn't have to tell us twice!

* * *

I was riding in Sunny again, but the bots kept the short range comm channel open as we drove. We were unable to use long range comms because the Government had blocked the frequency, so we had no way of getting in touch with anybot outside of our little group.

Well I had my bond but for some reason I could not get a response fom either of my creators. It felt weak, strained even, and when I asked Sunny about it he said that bonds like a creator bond, especially an adoptive one like mine, could become strained at long distances.

I could still feel their emotions vaguely, but I could not talk to them. This was really frustrating to me.

The only up-side was that I could hear Simmons speaking through the comm link about to a contact of his who might be able to help us figure out where we were supposed to go.

"Here's what my CIA contact says, Ancient Sumerians use to call the Gulf of Aqaba the Dagger's Tip…"

"So that's the Dagger's Tip." Sam replied.

"Yes. It's part of the Red Sea. It divides Egypt and Jordan like the tip of a blade. The tip of the blade is at 29.5 degrees North and 35 East. Here it is."

"Ok so the first thing we need to do it get Optimus to the Dagger's Tip then."

"How are you gonna get him half way around the world?" Leo asked.

"I'm gonna make a call." Sam responded.

Leaning back against the seat, I allowed myself to settle in for another prolonged drive. I mean I had no idea where the next city or town was so might as well relax right? Well as much as I could when those unknown symbols and their meaning was plaguing me, along with the fact that I could read them when I'd never seen them before. I didn't understand that…

All of a sudden my thoughts were interrupted when sirens started blaring from somewhere nearby! "We got cops!" Sam shouted over the comm link.

Our line of cars swerved to avoid the approaching police cars, and when they tried to whip around to chase after us they ended up sliding in the sand on the side of the road. Effectively preventing them from chasing us, for a moment at least.

I looked behind us in time to see several right themselves and give chase. "We didn't lose them! Move your afts!"

Simmons' voice came over the speakers a second later. "We're coming up onto a small market town! We can lose them there!"

They chased us all the way into the town, while Leo could be heard yelling something about not going to prison through the comm link, this making me sigh in frustration. I perked up when I saw a nice, sizable alleyway coming up on our left! "Sam have Bee go through that alleyway! Maybe we can lose a few of them in there!"

The bots all swerved around the humans carting their produce across the cobblestone street, easily dodging them by fishtailing around them. The cops chasing us were not so lucky, one hit the fruit stand sending produce flying into the other cop cars following, the rest of them swerved to try avoiding it, some of them crashing into the buildings around us.

All the bots sped up to lose them quickly after that, putting as much distance as possible between us and them, before pulling into the alleyway I'd pointed out earlier.

I got out of Sunny and walked over to Mikeala. "So what's going on now?"

"Simmons said that we need disguises to wear." She crinkled her nose at the thought. "He went to get some."

We all waited, leaning against the bots' alt modes until Simmons came back with these... cowl things. Oh right we were in Egypt where people wore these things… With a sigh, I took a dark blue one from him to wrap around my head.

Mikeala had a dark almost black colored one on her head, covering her face even. Oh that was right, women in this country had to cover their faces otherwise it was considered... impolite. I hastily corrected my own covering as well.

Noise from the sirens reached us. The bots all quickly transforming and ducking behind the buildings so that the cops wouldn't see their alt modes.

After the last of the cop cars went past I turned around... and Skids, Mudflap, and Bee were hanging from the building with Bee holding onto Skids who was upside down. "What the frag are you doing?"

"This is what's called blendin' in like a ninja." Mudflap informed me.

Mikeala turned towards Sam and Simmons. "They're gone."

"Ok! We're running out of time. I have to make the call to Lennox."

Simmons turned to him. "You are on the worldwide wanted list. If you try calling one base they'll track you here in seconds! The CIA is all over this place!"

"Then you're gonna call."

Simmons stopped dead staring at Sam like he was crazy. "Ok. That's a good idea."

"Alright." Sam agreed.

We found a phone booth nearby that he could use. It only took a moment for Simmons to dial Lennox's number and get an answer. "Hello? Lennox? I'm with the kids. You know? The one with the attitude and his know it all she devil cousin? Right? We need the truck! The truck! We've got a possible ressurection going on over here. You're not gonna believe where we are. Code Tut as in King, as in Tutankhamun. As in the guy on the back of the one dollar bill."

Sunny sighed again. "Get on with it fleshy."

Simmons ignored him. "The coordinates for the air drop are 29.5 North, 34.88 East. Write it down. Ok? We'll meet you there! I gotta go!" With that he hung up.

Leo came sprinting up to us from where he was on look out. Simmons gave him a weird look. "Who are you?" The phone suddenly jerked off of the booth with a loud clatter, we all looked back at it for a moment before turning back to Leo.

"It's me! It's me Leo! Leo!" Leo removed his cowl so that we could see. "The cops are coming!"

"Ok! Ok let's go!"

We all high tailed it out of there at the first sound of the sirens closing in. Somehow I ended up in Bee's back passenger seat this time, next to Mikeala. I heard Sides whining about it over the comm link through Bee's speakers.

Mikeala nudged me to which I just shrugged, because really who ever knew with Sides?

Besides we had more important things to worry about other than who I was riding in. "Shut it Sides."

* * *

Sometime during the ride I had fallen into recharge, and when I awoke it was daylight again. The first thing I took stock of was the familiar pain in my chassis caused by my spark. Second, was Sam and Simmons repeating the clue that Jetfire had given us.

"Whe dawn alights the Daggers Tip the Three Kings will reveal the doorway." Sam muttered.

"Right that's what he said." Simmons agreed. "So any idea what it means?"

"No what does it mean?"

"I have no idea." Simmons sighed.

They both quieted down as we pulled up into a checkpoint, where Leo promptly decided to go crazy for some reason. "Oh my God! Oh my God! Checkpoint! Checkpoint! I don't have my passport."

"Yes we see that Leo. And none of us do!" Mikeala shushed him.

"Just calm down Leo. Worse case scenario we just blaze through there in another high speed chase." I told him irritably. My eyes were roaming around the guards with guns surrounding us until they landed on a short... midget… er short person… barking something into a walkie obnoxiously?

"They've got cameras."

"Well it is a checkpoint Sam." I told him.

"Alright this is espionage time." Simmons said quietly to himself as the midget guy closed in on us. "I can handle them, these are my people. I'm one thirty sixth Arab."

I rolled my eyes and turned to look out the window with a moody huff.

Wheelie popped up on Simmons' shoulder. "Oh great a freakin munchkin! Little people are mean tell him he's tall!" He suggested helpfully.

I yanked him back onto my lap. "How about we not let him see an alien robot sitting in the front seat like a family pet?"

Wheelie just shrugged.

Midget man approached us, speaking to Simmons in Arab, therefore none of us could understand it.

Simmons responded back with a few small words before making a point with his hands. "Uhhh the Dagger's Tip? Egypt, Jordan. We wanna go there, me and my family. This is my family." He took Sam's head under his shoulder. "This is my son! My other son, and my daughters. We're tourists from New York."

"NEW YORK?!" Little man exclaimed in excitement.

"Yes. New York."

Little man pointed down the road. "Fifty kilometers."

"Thank you." Simmons said as the gate opened allowing us all through.

As we pulled past little man called out. "GO YANKEES!"

"This is so freaking weird." Leo muttered.

* * *

The sun had set leaving us shrouded in darkness. We had settled down in front of a pyramid surrounded by several small buildings one of which Simmons, Leo, and Wheelie were in. Sam and Mikeala had gone off to talk, and most of the bots were parked in one of two small storehouses.

Me? I was sitting in the sand thinking about everything, my servos were absently drawing doodles while I stared up at the stars. I was doing this to try and avoid the intense stares burning into my back.

It was the twins. When I had wandered off they had followed me, not too close but I was always within their sight.

All of us had spent hours earlier trying to make sense of the riddle we were given. But it was complicated, and not one of us could make sense of it though, and it left us all feeling a little dejected. Thus the reason that I had gone off to sulk.

Optimus' face kept flashing through my thoughts, or more specifically the way he had looked when he died, and my futile attempts to save him. Guilt was a fickle thing I realized. Sometimes it would fade into a dull hum, never completely gone just not as noticeable… and other times it was all consuming.

That's how it felt right now. I know that I had told Sam not to feel like this, but that was because there was really nothing that he could have done. Me, I could have saved him. I know that I could have. It was just... that something had gone wrong then that had prevented me from saving him.

I couldn't help but to think that it was my own inexperience. Maybe I was just worthless?

And then there was what had happened with Starscream. The physical damage had healed completely, no soreness between my legs anymore, no hole in my chassis. Yet the pain in my spark chamber prevailed, but it wasn't a constant thing, instead it came in waves.

Try as I might I just couldn't understand why the pain was like this, not sharp like from the nick to my spark casing that Starscream had given me, this was dull yet consuming when it reared up. It fluctuated, like something was pushing against the walls of my casing, then it would suddenly dissipate and go away out of nowhere…

My thoughts were just all over the place with worry over this pain, to guilt over Optimus, to disgust and anguish over what Starscream had done to me. That wasn't even mentioning the situation with Sides, which was still bothering me greatly…

He wanted to talk to me about it, I didn't need him to actually say it, his expressions said it all. Like he was begging me every time he looked at me, and my spark was in turmoil because of it, because of everything.

If we couldn't figure all of this out what would happen? With Optimus? The cons? The Autobots? Me? The twins? What would happen to all of us?

I jolted when somebot suddenly plopped down in the sand next to me. "Credit for your thoughts?"

Sides. Just having him this close to me right now made me want to cry, tears actually welling up in my optics as I tried to fight them off. Why did everything in the world have to be so messed up right now? If it hadn't been for what happened with that slut I would not have hesitated to throw myself into his arms as soon as he came over. Instead I just sat in the sand, unmoving because I was hurting over everything.

"Your EM field is all over the place." He commented quietly.

"Oh? I didn't notice."

He sighed quietly. "I'm sorry Clare."

My helm popped up in surprise, optics locking with his. "Sorry?"

"Yeah, about what happened with ShimmerNova. I mean just because you misunderstood the situation doesn't mean that it didn't hurt you. Primus knows that if our roles had been reversed it would have killed me to be in your peds."

Oh... so that's what he was talking about. "Why did you do it then? If you knew it would hurt me why did you do it?"

He sighed. "I didn't do anything."

I snorted. "Yeah sure! Laying there and letting her hump you sure was your way of doing nothing."

From the corner of my optic I saw him flinch back like I'd slapped him. "That's not what I meant!" He protested.

"What did you mean then? You said that you didn't do anything! Well from what I saw you sure as pit did do something!"

"If I start explaining will you let me get it all out without interrupting me?"

"Talk."

"Demanding..." He muttered under his breath, but when he noticed that I was not looking amused he gave me a sheepish look. "Ok! Ok! Well I should start at the beginning! So you know how you agreed to bond to us that morning?"

"Yes of course I remember. I was happy about it until I caught you with her."

He ignored my comment. "Well when Sunny left to get us some energon I found myself getting lost in thought about it. I mean all morning during patrol we were absorbed in thoughts about what bonding was going to be like... and then when Sunny left I started thinking about it again."

"And that has what to do with kissing another femme?" I growled.

"I'm getting there!" Sides frowned at me. "Just let me talk!"

"Fine."

"Anyways I got a little carried away in thinking about what exactly I was going to do to you on our bonding night." A slight dusting of blue coated his cheeks. "I mean you know that we're not shy or inexperienced so it got a little explicit."

I blinked up at him... What did his perverted mech fantasies have to do with any of this?

"And well I was so into it that I didn't notice anybot come into the room. You know how I can get sometimes."

"Lost in lust." I deadpanned. "So she came in while you were being your regular pervy self?"

"Yeah. When I finally did notice that somebot was in the room with me, I turned to see who it was and she jumped on me. It surprised me enough that I fell onto the matts with her on top of me, and I grabbed her arms to throw her off but she kissed me before I could."

"And why would that stop you, unless you liked it?"

"Sweetspark you came in literally an astrosecond after she pounced on me, I had no time to react at all."

I looked down at the sand with a huff, wanting to believe him but not being able to entirely. That story was just too convenient for any rational femme to outright believe. "You want me to believe that?"

"I want you to believe the truth."

"How do I know that it is the truth Sides? If our roles were reversed and I gave you that same explanation would you just believe it?" I challenged him.

"Yes, because I trust you."

My entire frame froze up in shock, those words ringing loudly in my helm... He would believe an excuse like that just because he trusted me? Why did that make me feel guilty that I didn't know whether or not to believe him?

"Sweetspark think about everything that happened that day. I commed you to tell you to come see me as soon as you were done in the Med bay. Why would I do that if I was planning to have her there with me? Does that really make sense?"

No. No it didn't. When he put it that way it didn't make sense at all…

"That and Sunny was with me almost the entire time! If I was planning on doing that do you think he would have been surprised to walk in on it?"

Sunny had been surprised by what we had seen. It was very rare that one of them was able to keep something a secret from the other. So unless Sunny knew about it, which would not make any sense if the way he had interacted with me just astroseconds before that was any indication... then he couldn't have known about it. None of his behaviors indicated that he was lying to me. He had been genuinely surprised.

"It was all a misunderstanding sweetspark. Well ShimmerNova knew what she was doing, but I was just as surprised by what she did as you were by what you saw."

Tears started welling up in my optics, vocalizer catching on a soft sob as large servos yanked my frame up from the ground and pulled me against a broad chassis while I cried. A soft purr starting up immediately as he rubbed at my back gently.

"I'm sorry!" I sobbed, feeling horrible for how I had treated him.

"It's ok Clare. I'm not mad at you."

"I was mean to you!" I continued blubbering into his chassis, most of what I was saying not even making any sense to me, so there was no telling how he was interpreting it. "I called you a diesel licker!"

His purrs and caresses faltered slightly. "Diesel licker? Sunny what's a diesel licker?"

Sunny, who I hadn't even realized had come closer sighed. "I have no idea Sides. None at all. I'm pretty sure that it's an insult though. Apparently you've been grouped into whatever category Sam is in."

Sides huffed. "That still doesn't tell me what it is though."

"Does it really matter what it is?"

Sides sighed one of his servos slipping around under my chin. "No I guess not."

My helm was tilted back allowing me to see both of them staring down at me, Sides stroking my cheek with feather soft touches that made me want to keen. But that didn't go well with sobbing though, which I was still doing, so I fought it back as best I could.

"Please don't cry sweetspark. I'd say that I forgive you but there's nothing to forgive." He leaned down and nuzzled our nasal passages together.

I very nearly choked on my sorrow when he did that. "You... you aren't mad enough that you want to leave me?"

Both of them jerked back, jaws clenching tight and posture stiffening. "PIT NO! WE'RE NOT GIVING YOU UP FOR ANYBOT!" They both barked simultaneously.

Sides shook his helm quickly. "Sweet I would never be angry at you for getting upset because of that. Like I said if the situations were reversed I would be just as sparkbroken as you were! In fact I doubt that I would be able to stop myself from beating the slag out of whatever mech crossed those boundaries. At least you didn't get violent."

"Which we would have loved to have seen." Sunny pointed out. "We hate that glitch. Always have, ever since she-" He stopped dead before turning away, at which point Sides gave him a worried look.

"Ever since she what?"

He turned back to me with cold angry optics. "Ever since she used both of us."

"Used you? How did she use you?" I looked down when he growled even if I knew it wasn't at me. "Sorry. If you don't want to talk about it I won't bother you again."

It was deadly silent, ambiance thick around us.

"Clare before you we never really cared much for femmes... There was only one that we wanted something real with."

"ShimmerNova?" I guessed.

"Yeah. We knew her from before the war. She, well we were all a thing you see?"

Neither one of them would look at me while Sunny spoke, both looking distinctly ashamed… or maybe embarrassed… I felt an intense need to comfort them, so I slid one of my servos over each of theirs, smiling at him as reassuringly as I could when they looked back at me. "I won't judge you Sunny. Either of you. I promise."

"Sides and I were slave bots baby... We were Gladiators in the pits for thousands of years. It was there that we met ShimmerNova. She was not a fighter, rather she was a spectator that visited often. We met her after a match one solar cycle... and well back then we didn't much care for relationships so much as a quick satifying romp you know?"

Despite already knowing that they'd been with her, or at least having suspicions of it, my spark still pulsed painfully at the thought of them with another femme. "You fragged her." I murmured quietly.

He nodded, turning his servo to twine it around my small one in his own show of comfort. "Yeah. It wasn't supposed to mean anything... I mean spectators sometimes paid extra credits to have their way with the Gladiators, and well the extra credits went towards the debt we owed to the Pit Master. Only a fool would have turned her down." He gave an aggravated huff, eyeing me with obvious longing for some reason. "She came all the time. Always to see us. She claimed to care about us. We didn't believe her at first, but it wouldn't have mattered even if she had. Neither of us cared. It was all about the credits and the frags. Nothing more nothing less. But the more she came, and the more she would lay with us murmuring those words of affection... the more we wanted to believe it. Nobot had ever cared for either of us before that, besides each other."

The words died off momentarily, and I could see him starting to quiver with anger while Sides slumped down dejectedly. My servos cupped Sunny's right cheek, and Sides' left so that I could turn their faces more towards mine. Once they were completely facing me I pressed soft kisses to each of their lips in an effort to give them as much affection and comfort as possible. "Tell me everything."

He shuddered against my lips, pressing his back briefly, and not removing them when he next spoke. "After a while we started to care for her as more than just a frag. We stopped taking other femmes. We fought even harder to get out of the pits for her. Most days we were being torn to shreds by other competitors, but she would come to see us and ease the pain."

"And then... one day she stopped coming. No words, no reason. Nothing. We didn't love her like we love you baby, but she was the only good constant that we had besides each other. So when she didn't show up we thought the worst. But thanks to her we were able to buy our way out soon after she stopped coming. The first thing that we did after getting out was look for her."

The atmosphere became even more tense, a deep burning anger building up in both of them. She had hurt them somehow.

"We found her in her home City of Iacon where she lived as a Noble. Do you know how we found her?" Sunny growled venomously. "With a Noble mech at a night club getting fragged. When we confronted her about it she just told us that she was a Noble, and that we were slave bots. She thought it was funny that we came looking for her when in her processor we had no future. She didn't even want us. She never did. It was all lies to manipulate us."

Sides interjected, optics filled with pain. "She told us that she could never disgrace her family unit by being with us, at least not as a real couple. She made no attempt to hide the fact that she would love to keep us as frag toys, even made jokes about buying us for that purpose so that we could live with her without anybot caring."

I gasped softly, my spark really going out to them. She really was a stupid bitch!

Sunny growled angrily, optics flashing red with his mounting anger. "We wanted to get back at her so badly... that we pretended to go along with it. We kept being her little frag toys. We kept pretending that we cared even after what she had done to us. Every encounter between us was recorded with vid feed, every word she uttered, every sound, every detail. Do you know why we did this?"

No, but it probably had something to do with why she was so bitter towards them.

"Because she had a mech that she was going to bond with. Another Noble that she was compatible with, a mech that didn't even know that she had little frag toys living with her." He smiled darkly. "Days before they were set to bond we showed him everything. Every vid file, some of which she had mentioned seeing him prior to coming to see us. It crushed him... I guess that he really did love her. After seeing that though he reneged on their mating. He left her alone and unwanted, and for the first time in her life she could relate to what it felt like to be us. She fragged us over, we fragged her over. Then we left her in the dust. We never spoke to her again until she showed up here."

I stroked their cheeks lovingly. "I'm sorry that happened to you. She deserved what you did to her."

They both leaned down into my touch completely. "It's always been like that baby. Femmes always use one or both of us. They never want us for real."

"I do."

"We know. Do you know what it feels like to have you as ours? It feels like we really do have something to live for now, like as long as we have you what any of them did doesn't matter. So long as you promise to stay."

It was a question if I had ever heard one. I smiled softly at them. "Of course I'll stay. We still have to bond after all of this is over right?"

Their answer was to sweep me up into their arms and kiss me senseless, then Sides pulled back panting. "Do we have to wait to bond? Can't we do it now?"

Sunny smacked him over the back of the helm. "Idiot! Something's wrong with her spark! It might not even be safe for her to bond!"

"But if it's just nicked then sparkmerging might dull the pain!" He argued. "After we're bonded we can help numb it too!"

"Sides we have to wait to do that until after this is all over."

"Besides she might not be ready to interface after what happened with-" Sunny started only to suddenly stop dead, optics shooting down towards me like he was afraid that he had hurt me somehow.

The reminder of what had happened caused my spark to feel like something was squeezing the life out of it, because the emotional pain was still there, even if the physical pain was gone. But when I thought about it I realized that it wasn't so much that I was scared of the twins, maybe if I hadn't been with them before I would be, but it was more that I felt disgusted with myself than afraid of them. I mean they were my firsts, the only ones that had touched me before. Now I couldn't say that anymore. In a way it felt like... I had cheated on them.

"Baby?"

I didn't look up.

Sunny jerked my chin up, forcing me to look at his scowling face. "You better not be thinking what I think you are." He growled.

My optics drifted down shamefully.

"You are not to blame for what he did to you!" He hissed. "The only one that is responsible for attacking another bot in this type of situation is the one who instigated the attack. Not the victim!" He shook me slightly. "Look at me!"

When I refused to listen he shot up from the ground, cradling me against his upper chassis as he stomped towards a storehouse nearby. Grumbles that I couldn't decipher were falling from his lips as he walked inside of the mostly empty building, that happened to be one that no one else was in.

I was sat down on a box near the back of the building while he stomped around grabbing tarps, and some old cloth coverings that were most likely used to cover whatever was stored in here from the climate. He sat the tarps down first, then the cloths over the top in a small makeshift berth.

Sides stood to the side until Sunny gestured him over, then he plucked me up and carried me over to lay me on the tarp that Sunny was standing next to. I looked up at both nervously. "Ummm… what are you doing?"

"Proving a point." Sunny stated as he started pulling his armor off.

"What point?" I squeaked when Sides leaned down and started stripping me.

"Well unless you can tell me that you're so reluctant because you're scared, and not because you're feeling guilty or disgusted, we're going to face you."

All of my armor was pulled away, Sunny moving in while Sides moved to strip his own. "Sunny I don't think I can."

"Why not? Are you scared of us?"

No… just disgusted with myself… "N-No... but I still can't."

"If we don't blame you why do you blame yourself? It's not like you cheated on us." He leaned in to nip at my throat cables.

I bit my lip to stifle the mewling sound that threatened to escape, resolve practically non-existent after that first love bite was delivered to my throat. "But he..."

His glossa flicked out across the cables, causing a small spark to tingle my protoform. "Forced you. You did nothing."

A soft mewl hissed between my clenched denta, my servos instinctively moving to grab onto his helm. "You..."

He nipped again, flicking his glossa over the bite marks. "Aren't mad at you."

He trailed kisses from my throat, all the way down the front of my frame, over my chassis and down my midsection, all the way down to my thighs. His servos slipped between them, swiftly spreading them wide as he looked up at me with smoldering optics that had my valve clenching as he further exacerbated my arousal by licking his lips.

"S-Sunny? Wh-what are you doing?" I stammered embarrassedly.

Instead of answering me verbally he just leaned down and started lapping at my external ports, my frame immediately arching as a startled cry escaped me when I felt his glossa wriggling against me. The sight of his helm buried between my legs, both of which he'd propped up on his audial fins, lustful optics staring up at me from over the swell of my chassis, was incredibly erotic.

The silky texture of his glossa rubbing against all my supersensitive ports had me whimpering softly, helm falling back against the makeshift berth because he was reducing my frame to a state that it didn't even feel as if I had relays or struts.

He went back and forth, lavishing attention to each, before he suddenly thrust his glossa inside me. I screeched embarrassingly loudly, and Sides quickly knelt down and slammed his lips over mine to stifle the sound so that one of the others wouldn't come to see what we were doing.

He kissed me feverishly, "Such a responsive femme…" He practically purred, before his glossa thrust itself into my mouth and started tangling with mine, further muffling the volume of my cries when Sunny started thrusting his in and out of my valve with more force and speed.

I whimpered, arching into it as much as I could, without even trying to contain the shrill cries that Sides was muffling with his lips. His servos slid down at some point and started tweaking at my chassis, which made me keen loudly as I lost control and started clawing at his shoulders, the sharp tips of my claws digging in and slightly puncturing the cables there, causing energon to leak down in thin rivulets. He gave a pleased growl, releasing me from the kiss we were locked in and smirking at me. "Try and be quiet, ok sweetspark?"

"Sides…" I whimpered, the sound cutting off into a strained shriek when Sunny started tweaking at my external node in time with each thrust of his glossa into my quivering valve. As if that wasn't enough, Sides abandoned kissing me in favor of leaning down to lick and nip at my chassis in a way that drove me wild.

My abdomen clenched with my rapidly approaching overload, ripping a strained cry from my vocalizer as my claw tipped toes latched onto Sunny's helm and dug into the metal there, hips beginning to undulate up to meet his attentions without my even needing to consent to it.

All it took for me to fall screaming into it, was a sharp nip to my right section of my uncovered chassis, and a deep, guttural growl vibrating my core with such force that the thin coil preventing me from overloading snapped, and a massive surge of pleasure caused my insides to twist and clench as lubricant gushed out from within my valve and coated my mech's face.

I keened loudly, practically shrieking so loud that Sides had to slam his lips on mine again to stifle the sounds as Sunny worked to draw my overload out for as long as possible by furiously lapping at my quivering valve. He didn't stop until I slumped against our makeshift berth, and my valve finally stopped its' frantic clenching, only then did he pull back, giving me a clear view of the specks of lubricant coating his face. Each drop was gathered up on his digit and brought to his mouth so that he could lick it off.

I felt my valve clench again while watching him do this. He smirked after sucking up the last drop, nudging Sides over so that he could move me onto my servos and knees, spike swiftly skimming over my aft as he rubbed it over the bare metal. "You taste good. I actually like doing that to you."

He grabbed onto my hips and lifted me up so that he could line his spike up with my opening and push all the way in, frame shuddering when he seated himself in to the hilt and groaned. My claws dug into the ground as I whimpered, keening quietly when he pulled back and gently snapped his hips forward and thrust his length back into me.

I moaned loudly, wriggling my hips back against his until a sharp sting broke out across the metal when he slapped my aft. "Stay still!" He growled at me, before he quickly fell into a full on series of firm yet surprisingly gentle thrusts.

His digits fluttered against my sides each time he pulled me back to meet his hips with every thrust. He was testing me to see if I was still sore, that much I realized after a few kliks of this treatment, but when I gave no sign of being in pain he started speeding up, and each time he thrusted back into me he twisted his hips so that he was hitting every node inside of me. I threw my helm back and cried out when he slid a servo down to harshly rub at my external node, the sound forcing Sides to get down on his back in front of me so that he could tug my helm down and plaster our lips together again, where he promptly shoved his glossa into my mouth and tangled it with mine.

Sunny's grunts mixed in with the loud squelching sounds coming from my valve. "Baby…" He grunted, and I could feel his spike swelling up inside me in preparation to overload. He sped up and it had me whimpering, panting and arching my back as much as he would allow, feeling his spike sliding along my inner nodes and lighting each and every one on fire. "Overload for me…"

When I didn't do that immediately Sides separated from our kiss and shoved his helm down to suck on my external node, being careful to avoid Sunny's spike but the effect was the same. I arched when he bit down on it, screaming as it caused another overload to surge through me with enough force to instantly rip Sunny's from him within an astrosecond.

I felt his frame tighten and heard him groan as his tranfluid erupted into my valve like a geyser. "Clare…" He moaned my name, giving one last twitch of his hips before stilling completely.

Sides quickly squirmed out from under me as Sunny pulled his spike out of me and sat me down on my knees, quickly delivering one last smack to my aft, though not as rough as the last one. Afterwards I was quickly grabbed and laid out on my back by his eager twin, who grabbed me by the hips and pulled them up off the floor so that I was once again suspended in mid-air. "Feeling up for a second round sweetspark? Or are you too sore now?"

I smiled at Sides reassuringly. "I'm fine. It's healed up now and if it wasn't I doubt I would've enjoyed facing Sunny that much."

He shook his helm and chuckled. "True." With that he pulled me up to line his spike up with my opening and slide in all the way. He quickly started thrusting his hips back and forth in succession, groaning as I gasped and moaned in pleasure.

His optics were locked on the point where his spike kept disappearing inside my valve, but then Sunny's helm appeared in my line of vision as he forced his lips on mine and thrusted his glossa into my mouth. His servos quickly drifted down over all my little erotic points that drove me wild, pinching at my chassis, and tweaking at my external node.

I arched with a loud cry, grabbing my intended's helm and jerking it down towards my chassis, and he quickly took the hint and moved his mouth down to lap at the protoform there. I bucked against Sides' thrusts as much as I could, biting at Sunny's throat and chassis as I whimpered and moaned in ecstasy!

Sides quickly increased the speed of his thrusts until he was ramming into me wildly, both of us quickly losing control, to the point that I had to bite down on one of Sunny's throat cables and hold on to keep from screeching bloody murder as the kliks ticked by and the sensations continued rising.

My mechs both lavishing me everywhere that I loved, tweaking my nodes, biting my chassis, and running their servos over my protoform until my valve finally clenched and I fell screaming into another overload. Sides continued thrusting into me to draw it out for another klik, then he too stiffened and spilled his transfluid into my quivering channel.

Afterwards Sunny moved back, and Sides pulled me up onto his lap without removing his spike from within me. He ran his digits up and down my back, purring down at me lovingly. "Is that a good enough way to say we're not disgusted with you sweetspark?"

I pressed my face against his lower midsection and nodded. "Yes…"

We fell into silence, Sides continuing to stroke my back, and Sunny sat behind me, gently rubbing at my hips. I sat there quietly thinking about everything, from my failure to save Optimus, to the ancient symbols that Sam was seeing, all the way to the chicken scratches that no one seemed to know anything about, but I could somehow read anyways… All of it was so confusing…

Something suddenly grasped onto my hips, then the spike seated deep inside me pulled back and thrusted itself into the bottom of my channel, causing me to gasp and throw my helm back. In doing so, I was easily able to see Sides smirking down at me mischievously. "You were thinking too hard again sweetspark… Let me give you a little distraction…"

He suddenly started rocking against me again, and I just let myself slump against him without even trying to fight it… I really did need it…

But then all of a sudden the storehouse doors were thrust open, and when I looked over in surprise, Sam came racing in with Simmons, Leo, and Mikeala trailing after him. "CLARE I FIGURED OUT-!"

All of them stopped dead, staring at us or more specifically Sides who was still locked inside of me, who didn't have the decency to stop fragging me even with them watching or maybe he hadn't noticed. Then there was Sunny who lunged up from the ground with an enraged roar, servos covering his interface array from prying eyes.

"OH MY GOD!" Sam yelped. "MY EYES! MY EYEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!"

"SAM GET OUT! GET OUTTTTTT!" I started batting at Sides to get him to stop. "SIDES CUT IT OUT!"

Sunny charged them, sending them all scattering finally. "GET THE FRAG OUT!"

Oh Primus that was mortifying! Before they were out of earshot I managed to yell out. "WE'LL BE OUT IN A MINUTE!"

"OK!" Sam yelled back.

Ok so not the best time to rekindle our relationship...

* * *

R&amp;R! Still working on these rewrite chapters! Let me know what you thought! If you can't review again then send me a PM please!


	34. Chapter 34

Part 3 of the rewrite! Yes, it is going to get veeerryyy different than the original fic really soon! Just don't kill me! XD! The next few are coming at a slower pace because I'm starting from scratch on them pretty much! Anyways I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! Also I really need a beta to help me go back and edit the last 30 odd chapters before the rewrite! I want to rewrite some scenes from before chapter 32 as well, just because I realized how they interface wouldn't work the same way that I wrote it! So if anyone is interested, you don't have to touch the sex scenes if you don't want to! Just help me edit everything else! I can handle the M rated content! PM me and let me know!

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

After managing to pry Sides off of me the three of us made our way into the building where Sam, and the others were all sitting patiently waiting for us. My cousin looked down with a blush when I sat down with the twins' holoforms beside me, Mikeala grinning at us madly, Leo looked like he was pouting, and Simmons was shaking his head.

I rolled my eyes at each of them. "Ok enough about the whole weird vibes just because you saw us having sex. It's nothing that you all haven't done before. So get on with this big break through! The sooner we figure out where we're going, the sooner we can save Optimus."

Sam shook it off, before looking at Leo. "Ok Leo you remember astronomy class page 47?"

Leo frowned. "No. No I was only in college for two days. Remember that?" He asked sarcastically.

Sam shot to his feet, and gestured for us all to follow him hurriedly. "Just get up! Up! Up! Follow me!"

"What's got you so worked up kid?" Simmons muttered.

We all followed Sam outside onto a connected balcony where we could all clearly see the slowly rising sun. "Ok you see those three stars?" Sam pointed at three bright specks on the horizon. "Do you see how the last one touches the horizon? Well that's Orion's belt, but it's also called the Three Kings. It was named that after the three Egyptian Kings who built the pyramids of Giza to reflect those stars. So it's like an arrow staring us straight in the face." He explained hastily.

Realization started to dawn on me. "So those are the Three Kings."

"Right!" Sam pointed at me.

"They all point due East towards Jordan and the mountains of Petra." Simmons explained.

"So that's where we have to go next." I muttered excitedly. Yes! We had an idea! Somewhere in mind to go to next! I'd bet my aft that we had figured it all out too! "So what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

* * *

We should be arriving at our destination soon, after a long, grueling drive that had stretched on for a few hours, in which we were all quiet for the most part. I wish that I could focus on resting like everyone else, but my spark chamber was hurting again, and it felt like my spark was burning the edges of the case housing it. I was trying my best not to let Sides know, since I was riding in him right now.

But as the kliks ticked by, it was getting harder to bite down the pained whimpers that kept threatening to escape me every time we hit a bump or something. When it happened my spark fragging hurt like a motherslagging glitch!

Luckily he hadn't noticed anything because I was doing my best to feign recharge so as not to worry him, since I knew that as soon as he realized something was wrong, Sunny would realize it too. Then there would be a massive freaking issue made because of it, and the last thing that I wanted to do was have everyone stop for me.

We had little time to get where we were going, and we had to get to where we were going as fast as we could. So I would just endure it until we got there. Soon enough the pain would fade away like it always did, I was sure of it… I just had to breathe through it until then.

That was my plan at least, but when Sides hit a large bump that sent me jostling around in my seat, I lost the thin hold that I had on the control I'd been able to maintain over my cries so far, and a loud, pained yelp escaped me before I could even think to stop it. My hands shot up to cover my chest, fisting at the fabric covering it as I doubled over and bit my lip to keep from crying out again.

Almost immediately a hand was on my shoulder, then Sides' holoform face was leaning down into my peripheral vision, a look of concern clearly visible on his handsome features. "Sweetspark? What's wrong?"

I shook my head, unable to speak now that my spark was maliciously beating at my spark casing, almost like it was trying to claw its' way out and get free. Like a caged animal or something… except it was my own life essence that had turned on me…

Sunny's voice came through Sides' speaker, while said bot gently rubbed my back in an effort to comfort me. "What's wrong with you? Is your spark hurting again?"

I released another shuddering breath as Sides pushed me to sit up against his seat carefully. "Let me see sweetspark." He carefully pulled my shirt up over my head, making sure that it didn't touch my chest and then he tossed it aside somewhere. A bright glow was immediately cast onto the inside of his cab from the glowing marks running up the side of my body, staining the ceiling a bright translucent blue.

He seemed to ignore it in favor of running his hands over the expanse of my chest, not in a perverted manner, which was a first, but just to see if he could find whatever was causing me so much pain. "Can you get rid of this thing for me Clare? It's kind of in the way." He fingered at the bra I'd formed, more out of habit than anything, in contempt.

I quickly dispersed it, exposing my naked chest to him and he resumed looking it over unhindered this time. My head was pressed back against the seat, chests heaving with each labored pant that escaped me. I wasn't paying any attention to what he was doing really, and that was why it was so surprising when his hand caught on something that has me arching with a startled cry of pain, body twisting away from him before the thought had even registered… I had no idea what he had just done, but it fragging hurt hella bad. "Please don't touch me there." I panted out in agony.

"Ok I won't touch it sweetspark, but I do need you to change back to bot form for me ok? I need to look at something."

I quickly dispersed the rest of my clothes, allowing my skin to matter shift into the armor plating that covered me in my bot form. My mech quickly leaned forward to look my chassis over, after adjusting the seat so that I was laying down comfortably.

He took one look at my chassis, and for some reason that had him cursing loudly in the otherwise silent cab. "How the pit...? There's no fragging way that..."

I followed his gaze down, jolting in surprise when I noticed that my chassis was ballooning outward. My spark was clearly visible through the small crease between plates, that must be what was causing the sensation of something trying to rip me apart from the inside… "Sides? What's wrong with me?" I murmured weakly.

His eyes shot up to my optics.

"SIDES! WHAT THE FRAG IS WRONG WITH HER?!" Sunny bellowed through the comm channel.

"Her spark is pushing against her spark casing." Sides muttered worriedly. "It's bending her chassis outward to try and accommodate it."

"WHAT?!" Came from multiple voices including the dumb twins.

"But her spark shouldn't be doing that! It's the right size for her frame!" Sunny argued.

"Not anymore." Sides muttered. "We have to do something quickly otherwise..." His voice trailed off as he started quivering nervously, or was it fearfully? "Otherwise her spark will destroy her spark casing."

"Ok can someone tell me what is going on?" Sam's voice came through the speakers next. "All I can hear is all of you yelling about something! What's happening?"

Sunny started talking next, ignoring Sam completely. "Well then we need to stop and do something! One of us can sparkmerge with her and it should help siphon out some of her excess spark energy."

"That's only a temporary fix Sunny." Sides explained as he helped me move so that I was more comfortable in his seat. "Sweetspark I think that you should stay like this until we can get you some help. At least like this some spark energy is escaping from you, if you stay in your human form your skin is not only agitating your spark chamber, but it's preventing energy from escaping."

"Ok." I whimpered.

"We're gonna do something ok? Just try and relax for now. When we stop Sunny or I will sparkmerge with you to lessen the strain."

"Ok."

He laid down beside me on the seat and pulled me in against his chest, cradling me close and letting me use his bicep as a pillow. "Everything will be ok sweetspark. Ratchet and the others are on their way to the drop point so as soon as we're done finding the Matrix we'll meet up with them."

"CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON?!" Sam yelled through the speakers again.

"How close are we?" Sides asked instead of answering him.

"Nearly there, we're pulling up in front of the mountain range now." Bee answered.

It took us a few kliks to reach our destination, and when we did Sides gently laid me out on his seat before his holoform dispersed as he transformed so that he was in his bipedal form. The dry, arid aid of the desert instantly buffeted me as I lay there in Sides' servo panting, chassis looking more like a balloon than anything else.

The hot, blazing sun was bearing down on me, further overheating my frame uncomfortably. At least until Sunny suddenly leaned over me, blocking the harsh rays with his bulk and casting a nice cool shadow over me. He reached out to touch my chassis, only to stop and hover over it like he was too afraid to actually risk it at all. "Primus baby… What's happening to you…?"

I whimpered when another sharp pulse of pain surged through my spark casing, a groan echoing from both me and the plates that were suddenly being bent outward even more as wisps of spark energy starting arcing into the air just outside of the crease where my chassis was supposed to close.

"Slag it all to the pit!" Sunny cursed and snatched me from Sides, bringing me in close to his frame protectively as it seemed to curl around me as he sat down on his aft. He quickly cupped me in both servos and slid his chest plates back so that his large, sapphire colored spark was exposed as Sides moved to stand between us and the rest of the group to protect us. "Open your chest plates for me ok baby? I'm gonna make you feel better."

I nodded and slid my own chest plates back, exposing my much smaller, light blue spark, only it wasn't quite as small as it was supposed to be anymore… If anything it seemed like it was substantially bigger than before, much too big for my casing to house…

"Ok baby I need you to let your energy flow into me. Don't hold it back. I'm not going to exchange energy with you, I'm only going to accept yours ok? This should ease your discomfort for a while." Sunny explained quietly.

I nodded dumbly as he moved me towards him, not really knowing what to expect, and I was completely surprised when my spark literally lifted out of my frame but I was still left conscious. I was able to see his own spark lift free of his casing and drift towards mine as well, where the two quickly merged together in a shower of sparks.

The sensation was… similar to cable syncing. It created a thrumming sensation within me, and I could feel him on the edge of my awareness through the pulsating waves of the merge. It felt like energy was literally being sapped out of me, some escaping into the air around us, only to disperse with little explosions of spark energy that crackled around us.

My mech suddenly groaned loudly, hunching over me and drawing my attention back to him as his frame started sparking violently, optics blazing white as his jaw clenched to keep himself from being too vocal… It struck me at that moment that we were technically interfacing, or having sex in a way, with quite a few onlookers around us, and only Sides frame being strategically placed between us and them was preventing what we were doing from becoming a living peep show…

My thoughts drifted back to what was happening quickly when Sunny suddenly shuddered violently, moaning as his spark seemed to suddenly start sapping at my spark energy much faster than before. His frame started sparking, softly at first but, but then the showers lighting off across his plating erupted into a literal lightning storm going off over every inch of him. He moaned, hunching over me as his overload surged through his frame and sapped one last, massive wave of energy from me…

And just like that the pain that had been enveloping me was temporarily abated as my spark was released from the merge and drifted back into my chassis, leaving me feeling much like a puddle of gelatin laying limp in his servo.

Afterwards my chest plates slid closed, and this time they were laying flat like they were supposed to. A collective sigh went through my twins, and Bee, when they saw this.

Sam and the other humans however, had no fragging clue what was going on. The former was still standing near Bee's peds yelling up at us, demanding to know what the heck was going on, and as usual the twins were ignoring him. Bee couldn't answer him, and the other twins were stupid enough for everything they said to be questionable.

"HELLO?! CAN SOMEONE ANSWER ME?!"

Sides turned to blink down at him. "Oh sorry forgot you were there for a moment."

Sam scowled at him. "What's wrong with my cousin? I've been asking for over ten minutes now!"

"Well Sam if you have to know Clare's spark has become too large for her spark casing to house. This is often times fatal, unless a medic can build a new spark casing or frame. So we need to get the Matrix and get her to Ratchet as soon as possible." Sides informed him bluntly.

"Why would that happen though? It's never been an issue before!" Sam argued, eyes locked on me worriedly, as was Mikeala, and even Leo and Simmons. "You know what? Explain on the way then so we can get her some help faster!" He demanded, before he turned and started leading us into the mountain range.

Well by that I meant everybot else had to walk, I was being carried by Sunny who refused to let me down. I was tired enough at the moment that I didn't care enough to argue with it, so instead I dozed in and out of recharge for several kliks. Or maybe it was breems, because the next thing I registered hearing was Simmons muttering something.

"It's got to be around here somewhere."

I looked up at the same time that Sam froze at the front of the group, staring up at a giant palace built into the side of a mountain. It was absolutely massive, with a door easily four times larger than any of the bots here, and I somehow doubted that any primitive humans would've needed such a large entryway… So we had to be in the right place.

The entire heavy atmosphere around the group seemed to lighten considerably once we spotted that structure, all of them making their way towards it in a fast sprint. Mudflap shoved Skids raced ahead of the group, the former shoving the latter over just outside the door, before climbing over him. I sighed tiredly as Sunny carried me in, with everyone else trailing along after us.

When we got inside, it was one large room with no more doorways leading anywhere else. But even so, Sam walked over to the far wall and started inspecting it. "It's here somewhere guys."

Leo threw his arms out and scowled at Sam angrily. "Yeah? Why? Because grandpa Blackbird, the guy who doesn't even know what planet he's on says so?"

"Well in his defense this is the biggest doorway I've ever seen in my entire life." Simmons commented, while eyeing the massive doorway.

"Oh! Well that's great! Let me do a quick search." Leo made show of spinning around as if looking for something. "Hmmm nope nothing!"

In Leo's defense the place was empty, and according to Simmons archaeologists had been here before, and this caused the two quickly started arguing about it. "Sometimes that's how it goes kid! You get to the end of the rainbow and there's no pot of gold! It's just a fact of life." Simmons sighed…

"I'm not gonna listen to you! You live with your mother!" Leo snapped.

Sam suddenly jumped up from where he was sitting. "It's not over. There has to be something here! Otherwise, why would we have been given all these clues?"

Mudflap turned towards him. "Why are we still listening to you? You lil punk ass! What have you ever done for us except ding my rim?!"

"Killed Megatron! How 'bout dat?" Skids defended Sam.

Mudflap got into Skids' face. "Well, they didn't get the job done cuz he back now!"

"You scared?" Skids challenged.

"Scared? Scared of yo'r ugly face!" Mudflap shoved him.

"Ugly? We're twins you stupid genius!" Skids shoved Mudflap back and the two got up in each other's faces again.

I sat up, using Sunny's thumb to steady myself as my optics roved around the cavernous room we were in. Sam was right, and we had to be missing something important that was present here, otherwise why the frag would we have been given the clues that led to us finding it? We just had to find the clues that were present here…

I turned up to look at my mechfriend. "Put me down Sunny."

He eyed Skids and Mudflap warily. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Just do it, or I'll jump down."

He sighed, before bending down to sit me on the floor. "Fine but be careful."

I waved him off and started looking at the various glyphs that were lining the walls, most of which were ancient Egyptian, but nothing Cybertronian in nature was present in the arrays. At least not that I could find…

Something suddenly crashed into the floor right behind me, startling me so much that I whipped around and nearly got bowled over by Skids and Mudflap who had decided to start brawling right there in the middle of the floor. One of their peds lashed out catching me in the side and smacking me into another wall, ripping a pained cry from my vocalizer when my back slammed into it with enough force to crack the stone slab.

"CLARE!" Multiple different voices yelled, but the sounds were quickly drowned out by the furious roaring of my twins' engines, directly preceding Sunny picking both up and slamming them face first into one another, then he carried them to the doorway and tossed them up into the air, before punting them like a football.

"WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING YOU STUPID FRAGGING HALF BITS! YOU JUST HURT MY INTENDED!" He roared at the top of his vocalizer, before he made to go after them.

Only for him to stop short and whip around when I forced myself onto my servos and knees, craning my helm back and shaking it to clear the daze my processor was in, and in doing so my optics skimmed over Sides who was kneeling in front of me, then Sam and the others, before they landed on something carved into the wall that I'd been knocked into. I gasped, the sound drawing his attention before he could take more than a step or two towards the idiots.

He doubled back around and came over to kneel besides his twin. "Baby are you okay?"

I nodded, ignoring the pain in my side from where I'd been struck, and lifting a servo to point at the scratches carved into the wall. "More of the chicken scratches!"

He briefly glanced at them, then he looked back at me and his optics drifted down to my side. "You're hurt… those fragging idiots!"

My optics drifted down briefly to take in the dent in my side, but then they moved back up to the markings after I dismissed it. It wasn't nearly as important right now… Deciphering what these symbols meant was far more important. "It says, **"Our bretheren has truly turned against us, leaving the original Thirteen without one of their kin. We have fought him for millennia over the Matrix, which he stole for a time and ascended once more to a form that threatened to destroy all the known Universe. I cannot keep track of how many battles we have waged against him, or how many lives were lost in the process, but what I do know is that after a long, arduous bout of conflicts we were finally able to weaken him enough to reclaim the Matrix from him. But he will not relent in his search for it, and we cannot remain as we are forever as it causes our Creator to weaken further with each passing moment. For that reason, Prima has taken our situation into consideration, and decided that we must sacrifice ourselves to seal the Matrix away from him so that he cannot find it. It is the last option that is left to us, and we go to our final rest with the hopes that those who could be saved all those millennia ago, including the one we helped care for... little Ierenadrelana... will live on, like the immortal beings they are, and bring true life back to all...** **Those who see this message... if you are a chosen one, then when the time comes you will know what to do... hopefully - Solus Prime." **

When I turned back to the group they were doing that staring thing that they'd become prone to whenever I read these strange symbols. "Well I guess Solus left this etching behind then…" I muttered awkwardly.

Sunny, Sides, and Bee all exchanged a confused look with each other, then Sides turned back to me. "Um, sweetspark… I know that we already kind of knew that the Matrix, and the Thirteen were kind of tied to these etchings, but are you sure that Solus Prime actually left that? I mean… there's never been any symbols left in Cybertron's history that were like these… and definitely not from the Thirteen…"

"Well the other symbols mentioned a closely guarded secret that the Thirteen didn't want to be revealed… so I guess them using an unknown language would be a good way of hiding that secret. What's really weird is that I can actually read it… I wonder who Ierenadrelana is? She mentioned that he or she was an immortal being… Wouldn't that be cool? I bet that whoever that is, is still wandering around somewhere right?"

Sides shrugged. "I guess…? But how does that help us now? All we have to go on now is that etching, and an empty, one roomed sandstone palace to go on. I mean, where do we go from here? That etching didn't really tell us anything new, other than what was left of the Thirteen sacrificed themselves to seal the Matrix away."

"Well… maybe there's something else here that will give us a clue? Let me look and see if I can find some more markings." With that I turned my back to them and felt at the relatively smooth sandstone walls of the palace, every once in a while my digits would dip into one of the Egyptian symbols carved into the wall. I moved away from where they were all standing, towards the wall that Sam was looking over the first time.

"Maybe there's nothing else here baby… I mean I don't see anything…" Sunny muttered as he literally shadowed my every move as I moved across the wall.

"Let's just look ok? There could be something we're missing." I skimmed over a seemingly plain part of the wall, servo brushing aside some dust or sand that had accumulated there, and as it was brushed aside my optics zeroed in on some more of the etchings. "Bingo! I found more!"

Everyone gathered around as I continued cleaning the dust and sand off of it, until it was fully revealed. "What does it say?" Sam asked as he knelt down beside me.

"It says, **"That which you seek lies behind this doorway. Only the two chosen ones may enter, if the one reading this is you Sionuvalusian, know that our time was short and we did what we could. If you come into possession of the Matrix deliver it to Ierenadrelana. It is she who is meant to bare its' power, not The Fallen. When you find her look after her, the two of you will find strength in one another. For the chosen to enter you must repeat the words arishin algeic."**

Well shit… looks like there's another one… but that didn't help us get in…

I turned and stared at the group dejectedly. "Well… unless one of us just happens to be one of the chosen ones… we ain't getting' in there. Have any of you ever been called Sionuvalusian, or Ierenadrelana in your lifetimes?"

They all shook their heads, or helms in the bot's cases.

"Shit! Well it's not like if one of us says the words, arishin algeic, that door-!" My voice cut off when the marks on my arm suddenly started glowing, and an ominous groaning sound started up from behind me. When I whipped around the two large stone slabs that made up the door were sliding back to reveal a massive corridor encompassed in darkness.

Dead silence fell over the room after the slabs fell back the rest of the way with a loud bang.

I turned to look at the others over my shoulder, and surprise! They were all fragging staring at me! "Oh wow… it must be our lucky day! The dead Primes have had mercy on us and… um… opened the door for us! Wow that's great! I'm sure that in some special cases they'll open the door for anybot right?" I laughed nervously…

Sides blinked, before leaning down into my face. "So… I guess we've narrowed your real designation down to two possible choices… So are you Sionuvalusian? Or Ierenadrelana? Those are weird designations by the way, but they're kinda pretty still…"

I pointed up at him. "I. AM. CLARE! The door must've opened because I'm connected to the Allspark somehow, and the Matrix was made by the same person! That's the only reason the door opened! Now shut up and let's get in there already!" With that I spun and stomped into the dark corridor without waiting to see if any of them were following me or not. The loud ped steps of the bots started up an astrosecond later, and the soft pattering of the human footsteps followed right behind it.

A soft glow was visible ahead, like a soft white glow similar to the moonlight illuminating the night sky… We made our way towards it, stepping into a massive cavern, the walls of which were coated in tiny white crystals that were the cause of the faint glow.

But I found my focus being taken from them after only an astrosecond, because my optics drifted around the walls of the cavern, taking in eleven stone like forms standing against the walls, like statues.

"Those don't look Cybertronian…" Sam whispered in awe…

I had to agree with him… The beings pressed against the walls of the cavern were not of a size that was unbelievable for a Cybertronian to be, but their features were distinctly draconic in nature. They all varied in sizes and shapes, some being quite a bit taller, and those had large protruding horns on the top of their helms, while some had what looks like thicker, curved horns jutting out of the back of their helms. Each and every one of them had a large set of wings jutting out of their shoulders, one or two having a second set on their lower backs, and all of them were spread out along the walls of the cavern, backs pressed against it.

I stared up at the second tallest one in awe, him being one of the ones with the horns protruding from the top of his helm. He was standing, staring at the doorway like a silent sentinel, with a massive sword resting in his servos, the tip stabbed into the ground.

And in front of him was the twelfth statue kneeling on the ground, this one had long horns that curved back along her helm, the under, before the points jutted forward again. Her dead, lifeless optics were staring towards the doorway as well, a scowl on what was definitely a feminine face. In one servo she had a massive hammer resting against her right shoulder, and her other was cradling what must be the Matrix against her lower abdomen, her wings spread up towards the ceiling and casting a shadow around her.

She looked… familiar to me… as did the rest of them… But for whatever reason that was, I couldn't seem to recall it. There was just this vague sense of familiarity when I looked at their faces… I had to shake the feeling off so that I could turn back to the one cradling the Matrix, just as my cousin came to a stop in front of her.

"The Matrix." Sam muttered in awe as he stepped forward to touch it.

I felt real hope swelling up in my spark for the first time since Optimus died…

And then... Sam touched the Matrix… and it literally exploded into a cloud of shimmering dust in his hand…

I don't even remember consciously doing it, but I fell to my knees with a loud crash, everything in me going numb while I stared, trembling, at the pile of shiny dust that once made it up. What now? How were we supposed to bring Optimus back now? Did it even matter that this supposedly thwarted whatever master plan The Fallen had up his sleeve? No… because he could still defeat us all without Optimus here to defeat him…

"No. This isn't happening." Sam whispered in disbelief.

Simmons shook his head dejectedly. "Thousands of years turned to dust." He sighed.

"This wasn't supposed to happen." Sam bowed his head, hands frantically grabbing at the pile of dust left behind.

Bee came and knelt behind him, whirring sadly as he touched his shoulder in an attempt to comfort him. It didn't seem like Sam was paying him the least bit of attention right now though. Everybot else seemed to be of the same opinion as well, all staring in complete and utter dejection at the remains of what had once given us hope…

Something nudged my back. "Baby? Are you okay?" Sunny asked me, carefully, while gently trailing his digit up and down my backstrut.

Something about his question caused a surge of anger to course through me with so much intensity that I shot to my peds and threw my arms up in the air, as if to beseech the statue figures around us. "WELL NOW WHAT?! WHERE'S THE NEXT FREAKING CLUE YOU JERKS?! YOU COULDN'T HAVE BROUGHT US ALL HALFWAY ACROSS THE PLANET FOR NO REASON RIGHT?! HOW ABOUT A FUCKING SIGN?!"

"Clare that's not helping anything sweetspark…"

I whipped around and growled at him, with tears pooling in my optics. "What is helping Sides?! WHAT?! Now what the frag are we supposed to do?! What?! Where's the fucking silver lining that's supposed to give us some sense of hope? Because I'll tell you something! I don't see anything!"

Neither of them responded to that, or maybe it was more accurate to say that they didn't know what to say… Something about that just left me feeling even more dejected than I did before…

Leaving me to slump against the ground despondently. "What now…?"

"We'll figure something out baby… there just has to be something we're missing right now…"

"Like what?" I murmured brokenly. Never had I ever felt so broken and lost before… I'd always been able to cling to some sort of hope, in any situation really… But the last few days had taken their toll on me.

Sunny pulled me up against his chassis and held me there when I finally lost control and let the tears slowly trickle down my cheeks. He didn't say anything, just held me and purred to soothe me.

"**Sometimes what is not there is still obtainable." **

I jolted up when a distinctly masculine voice lilted through my helm, not as deep as Optimus or even Sunny, but similar in timber to Hot Rod. "What the frag was that?!"

My twins blinked down at me. "What was what?"

"I heard somebot talking!"

"Nobot was talking baby."

I started frantically panning my gaze around the chamber, looking for wherever that voice had originated from. "Yes there was! Somebot said, **"Sometimes what is not there is still obtainable!" **How could you not hear that?!"

I couldn't see anybot that wasn't already with us when we came in! There was absolutely nothing!

"**I am unfortunately the smallest one here." **The voice muttered.

I looked over at the smallest statue, the one of a mech with what appeared to be two sets of wings that were more insectoid in nature than the others. Optics that were previously devoid of color, were now glowing a bright green. "Ok that statue's optics are glowing…"

Sunny and Sides shot to their peds and backed away apprehensively, as the humans scrambled behind Bee who took a defensive stance in front of them. "What the frag is happening?!"

"**Relax…" **The voice echoed, this time the sound seemed to encompass the entire room, and everyone could hear it. **"I am unable to move, and even if I could I have no desire to harm any of you. I am merely speaking to you now telepathically, because Ieren was in distress."**

"Who are you talking about? There's nobot here with that name." I pointed out.

"**Yes there is."**

"No there isn't." I argued back.

"**You did open the door, did you not? Only two beings have the ability to do that. One of them is Ieren, and the other is Sion, and Sion is currently… otherwise indisposed." **

"Ok… my name is Clare, not Ieren or whatever you just called me. I think you're confused from being dead for so long, because your perception of the real world is lacking."

A new voice suddenly cut in, a feminine one that had us all whipping around to the kneeling form of Solus Prime, who's once lifeless optics were now glowing gold. **"I think it is you that has your perception clouded Ierena. Even after being dead for all these millennia I doubt that we would forget you, especially after you entered the world and immediately jumped off your Sire's back, nearly scaring him half to death." **She giggled.

"**Solus… Micronous… Stop chattering incessantly with her and give her the push she needs." **Another, much deeper voice sighed tiredly. Our attention was drawn up to the statue holding the sword, who's optics were now glowing a bright blue, like lightning.

"Sides… Sunny… something weird is happening…" I whispered.

"We know…" They muttered back, while the three started something of an argument in front of us.

"**Oh shush Prima! We are allowed to talk to her!"**

"**Yes, but we only have so much time to speak to her." **

"**Prima I would come over there and slap you senseless, then kiss you afterwards, but I don't have the dexterity at the moment! You sound like Vector again, and he's a pain in everybot's aft!"**

Micronous sighed tiredly. **"These two argue over everything… Everything! How they are mated I will never understand! And I'm a mind element!" **

"**Oh shut up Micronous!" **Another, even deeper voice snapped irritably, drawing attention up to the largest of the group, who's optics were now glowing a dark, icy blue. **"For the love of our Creator, will somebot just give her the next piece of information?!"**

"**Of course Liege Maximo! Your Highness!" **Solus quipped sarcastically. **"What were we supposed to be telling her again?"**

"**Now I know that you're just acting the part of a fool Solus!" **

"**Takes one to know one Liege!" **

Was this really happening right now? Were the remaining Twelve of the original Primes really arguing like siblings fighting over the last steak at the dinner table? "Can somebot just focus please?! We need something to go on here! Stop arguing!" I snapped.

The arguing instantly cut off, leaving dead silence in its' wake. **"Ah, apologies Ierena. There is little to do beside bicker and converse when you're dead. We sometimes lose ourselves…"**

"It's ok… and can you please stop calling me Ierena? My name is Clare! No one has ever called me that before."

She sighed. **"That is not surprising, seeing as those who know about you are few and far between unfortunately. But I should warn you that The Fallen does know of your existence as well. That is why you must make haste and take the Matrix to Optimus before it is too late."**

"How are we supposed to take a pile of dust to him? It's just a pile of glitter at this point!" I thrust an arm out at the pile she was cradling with her petrified servo.

"**Just because it is as it is now, does not mean that it is meant to stay that way." **Prima responded cryptically.

"What does that even mean?!"

"**You will understand what to do when the time is right Ieren."**

"**Which should be soon… very soon Ierena. No matter how much I dislike the idea of you actually going through that, but it must be done." **Solus muttered.

"What? I have no idea what you're talking about."

"**You will in time. Now our time is up, and we must go… Until we next meet Ierenadrelana." **

With that the voices finally faded, as their glowing optics once again went dark. We were all left staring around at the statues in awe. "Ok… I don't think… that I can think right now… We just spoke to a bunch of alien robots that have been dead for thousands upon thousands of years…" Simmons muttered in awe.

I was in absolute awe as well, on top of being confused as pit with the fact that the Twelve kept calling me Ierena, or Ieren, or Ierenadrealana… and they seemed familiar with me for some reason. Their words about making haste rang in my helm, forcing me to shove the weirdness of the situation aside. "It is strange, but we have to hurry remember? We have to get the Matrix to Optimus as soon as possible!"

That seemed to snap everyone back into motion, Sam hurriedly kneeling by the pedestal. "Right! We've just gotta find something to carry the dust in!"

I scurried down onto the floor, ignoring a mild swell of pain in my spark chamber, and approached him as an idea occurred to me. "Use your sock. We can put it in that and tie the top so none gets out."

"Good idea Clare!" He quickly pulled his right shoe off, and they yanked his sock off.

"How are we supposed to put that back the way it was though?" Mikeala asked. "It's just specks of dust…"

Sam scooped it all up in handfuls and dumped it into his sock. "It'll work Mikeala."

"How can you be sure?"

"Because we did just talk to the remaining Twelve of the original Thirteen Primes." I pointed out calmly. "If they say there's a way to make this work, then we have no choice but to believe them. This will work… when the time is right we'll know what to do."

She didn't look convinced, but the sudden and unmistakable sound of jets flying overhead echoed through the dark corridor behind us, rebounding off of the cavern walls loud enough to make us all jump.

Simmons turned and ran back through the corridor, with Leo trailing along on his heels. This left Bee, the twins, Mikeala, and I standing around Sam, who was still kneeling in front of Solus' petrified remains. "This will work Mikeala… The Primes said it would, and if we all just have faith I'm sure that whatever plan they've set for us will come to fruition. We'll all make it through this." I murmured, before I turned to make my way down the corridor.

Before I'd made it more than a few steps her voice stop me in my tracks. "How can you be so sure?"

I turned to look at her one more time. "Because the Primes said so, and I trust them."

With that I made my way out of the chamber, with the twins trailing along after me into the bright sunlight beating down on the winding desert sands. We could clearly see Simmons and Leo on a dune in the distance, waving their arms in the air even though the jets were quite a ways off and thus, most likely unable to see them.

"You still doing ok sweetspark? No pain in your chassis or anything?" Sides asked before we drew close enough for them to hear anything being said.

I wisely opted not to mention the dull pain beginning to rear up in my spark chamber, instead just nodding in response to his question. "Yeah I'm fine… We have a goal in mind still, and that makes me feel better. Though I'm still not sure what to make of the Twelve calling me Ierena, or why they're calling me that at all… But I guess I can live with being the brunt of a mistaken identity."

We stopped a ways from Simmons and Leo, Sam, Mikeala, and Bee quickly making their way out of the sandstone palace that was the last resting place of some of the greatest figures in Cybertronian History. "Maybe it's not mistaken identity? Maybe that's your real designation? I mean, none of us have any idea where you came from. They could've served as your Guardians maybe, but then again that still leaves a lot of questions about who your real creators are. Maybe one of your creators was a successor of theirs?" Sunny mused aloud.

"I don't know…" I muttered quietly, more to myself than anything. Thinking about where I came from was the last thing that I wanted to contemplate at the moment… I wasn't sure what answers would come with uncovering my shrouded origins… Did I even want to know?

Luckily for me Sam and the others made their way over at that moment. "The drop point is that way." Simmons pointed across the horizon, where the jets had disappeared over the winding dunes that made up the desert.

"Then let's get going!" Sam snapped impatiently.

I nodded, before turning to the twins who knelt down in front of me. "You two will have to fight, so I'll ride with Bee and the others ok? That way you don't have to worry about me."

"We'll still worry about you." Sunny muttered.

I rolled my optics at him. "I'll be fine with Bee, and this way you won't have to be concerned about me getting hurt if I'm with you."

Both exchanged a look, before turning back to me, Sides scooping me up from the ground to cradle me against his chassis. "You better stay safe then." He warned me seriously.

Sunny nodded. "That's right. If something happens to you, we'll never forgive you."

I smiled as reassuringly as I could, but the words of Solus and Prima were still ringing loud in my audios. "I'll try my best to stay safe ok?"

Sunny huffed, before yanking me away from Sides, and pulling me into a kiss. "You better because we have to bond when we get back."

Sides quickly snatched me back from him and kissed me too. "That goes double from me."

They took me over to Bee's alt after we separated. "Keep her safe Bee." Sunny demanded.

Bee chirped an affirmative as I got into his back seat. "We'll be ok Sunny. You two just take care of yourselves ok?"

He snorted. "Baby who do you think you're talking to?"

I smirked. "My egotistical mechfriend that cannot be bested."

Now it was his turn to smirk at me. "Oh yeah you know it. I'll show you just how skilled I am when we return to base." He growled suggestively. Leo and Simmons gave us all a weird look, the former gagging slightly.

"Oh shut up Leo."

* * *

"That's them! I see the flare!" Sam shouted as we drove towards the drop point, roughly an hour after we'd all piled into Bee's alt mode and started our trek to the battlefield. The first sign that we were getting close were the jets streaking through the sky overhead, and the flares Lennox and his men were lighting off on the horizon.

"That's it over there!" Simmons yelled. "See it?"

Yes, yes we did see it. Pretty sure that Sam pointed that out already.

All of a sudden something slammed into the road right in front of us. Was that a fragging missile?! Everyone screamed as Bee swerved to avoid it, Mikeala falling against my side while screaming, as Leo sat there in his seat with his lips quivering.

The line of bots pulled down into a construction area when he finally lost it. "OH PLEASE! OH PLEASE GOD! I DON'T WANNA DIE!" He sobbed uncontrollably.

"Leo stop! Leo stop freaking out!" Mikeala yelled at him. "You're not helping anything!"

"Someone shut that guy up!" Simmons yelled.

Leo continued crying. "JUST LET ME LIVE! JUST LET ME LIVE! PLEASE!"

"LEO SHUT UP!" Sam and I yelled together.

He wouldn't stop so Simmons whipped around in his seat with a taser in hand. "ALRIGHT THAT'S IT!" He jabbed it into Leo's neck and tased the shit out of him!

"OW! OW! OW! OW!" Leo screeched before falling limp against his seat, leaving us all in relative silence! Thank the fragging Primes for that!

"I can't take that guy anymore!" Simmons growled.

"Yeah well thanks for shutting him up." I thanked him. Primus! Here we were with missiles being fired at us, whipping up sand and all kinds of debris, with us all facing possible death, and Leo wants to fly into a hysterical screaming fest?! WHAT THE FRAG?!

When some of the dust cleared I could see Sides skating alongside Bee's right. What the frag was he doing?

When a con swept in low using a jet as an alt mode I got my answer. I don't know who it was, but Sides leapt onto the back with a war cry. "JET JUDO!" He yanked causing the con to lift up suddenly from where he had been trying to transform and block our path.

They went flying high spinning in a death roll. "Oh Primus… that is so hot…" I sighed wistfully. Sue me because it was hot seeing my mechfriend riding on the back of a seeker thousands of feet in the air, delivering a can of whoop aft all over him.

Mikeala, Sam, and Simmons looked at me weirdly.

"What?! It is! Tell me you would not be turned on if Sam did that Mikeala?!"

She rolled her eyes at me. "You are so weird."

Sunny rushed past our other side as another seeker swept in low, swerving when whoever it was fired a missile at him, then transforming mid swerve to leap onto his back. "Eat slag Thundercracker!"

"Don't even say anything." Sam muttered when I felt my optics bugging out again.

Another shot was fired near us causing us all to cry out in surprise. "Hide in the dust! Hide in the dust!" Simmons demanded.

We swerved around another sand dune before sliding to a stop. Bee opened his doors and we all quickly got out and gathered around him.

"Ok we gotta split up! Bumblebee you're the decoy. You lead the Decepticons away from us while I go to Optimus." Sam explained quickly.

"I'll help draw their fire with huey and dewey over there." Simmons pointed at the dumb twins. "You get to those soldiers. I hope that dust works kid."

Sam stared at him for another moment before tugging Mikeala and I to follow him. Apparently we were going to leave Leo with Simmons then. Oh well not a heavy loss now was it?

We heard this strange noise while we were running towards where the flare from earlier had come from. I couldn't describe it really, but I knew that it was from a Cybertronian. If I had to guess, I'd say that the seeker who was getting his aft kicked was calling for help. That was probably not a good thing…

I tried to use my short range comm, figuring that I was close enough to the other bots now but it wouldn't work. Shit! That meant that the sound had to be some sort of EMP burst! Ok so maybe it wasn't so bad! It was just an EMP burst not a call for reinforce-!

Ok I spoke too soon... As soon as we made our way into the small town it was like cons were raining down from the fucking sky like rain drops. We ran through the buildings to avoid them, dipping into a small house that Mikeala had found.

Sam motioned with his hand for us to get down so we crouched down against this weird star shaped window. I quickly drew my rifle from subspace and held it tightly in my shaking servos.

Sam crouched down in front of us. "Ok once it's clear we run for Optimus as fast as we can ok?"

"Ok."

"What if it doesn't work Sam?" Mikeala asked instead of agreeing with the plan.

Sam stared at her for a moment. "It's will work."

"But what if it doesn't?" She insisted.

I turned away when he took her face in his hands. "It's gonna work. It will work. The Primes said so right?"

A loud cybertronian voice spoke above us. My helm snapped up when I heard it, rifle being held up so that my sight was trained on the ceiling where the noise had originated from. A loud bang suddenly echoed from somewhere close by, startling Mikeala enough that she jolted.

I moved a little closer to her, taking in her glassy, tear filled eyes. If we had time to waste, I would try comforting her, but as it was somebot was outside looking for us and we had to be quiet. They hadn't found us yet, then again I knew that it wouldn't last. I also realized that if it came down to it I was the only sort of defense for Sam and Mikeala. Real comforting when I was tiny, inexperienced, and poorly armed.

Sam poked a hole on the wall so that he could look outside. He pulled back after a moment, making a shushing motion with his hand before he went back to looking into his hole. Only he jerked back as soon as he did that, holding something small in his hand and it was making a loud buzzing sound.

Upon closer inspection it looked to be a little insecticon, like a fly or something. I stiffened and grabbed it from him, quickly taking its' tiny helm between my fingers and ripping it off so that it couldn't give out position away.

However, astroseconds after I did that the roof of the shack we were in was pulled off by Starscream of all bots. His clawed servo shot into the room, knocking parts of the building down in showers of debris that rained down on us, and scaring the ever loving scrap out of me when it immediately brought back up memories of the last time I'd been on the receiving end of it.

Even so, I raised my rifle and fired at his face several times. "GO SAM! GO!" I yelled as I backed up out of the ruined structure without waiting to see if any of my shots hit, because he'd at least been sufficiently distracted enough for us to get out of the small shack we'd been taking refuge in.

We turned and took off running as soon as we were free of the building, through a plethora of cons who were all ambling around the buildings looking for us. Most hadn't noticed us yet, and we took the chance to run the chance to run between two buildings, and up a pathway onto a rooftop, as a yellow con finally took notice of us and came racing over. He closed in on us, mace in servo, and swung it at us with enough force to take out the pathway behind us. The building crumbled, caving in on itself as I quickly turned and fired at his face causing him to roar in anger when one of my shots shattered his right optic.

It distracted him for long enough for us to leap onto another roof, an explosion from somewhere behind us propelled us forward with enough force to send us shooting over the opposite roof, and send us tumbling off the building and into an alleyway below.

I quickly recovered, standing and tugging Sam and Mikeala up after me, and we took off running again through several more buildings without looking back to see if anybot was following us. We made it to a larger structure and ducked into it to catch our breath, well for them to.

"We still got a half mile. I don't think the soldiers know we're here yet." Sam panted as he leaned against a column.

I nodded, my spark starting to pulsate as the mild wave of pain started building up into a much stronger surge. I forced myself to ignore it. "Yeah. I'll cover you guys from behind ok? Just keep moving and I'll do my best to keep the cons off you."

Both of them stared at me, Sam stepping forward to place a hand on my cheek. "Clare please don't get yourself killed ok?"

"I'm not going to try to Sam, but I'm an Autobot now. It's my job to protect you and make sure that you get to Optimus." My optics drifted down to the Autobot symbol sitting proudly on my right breast plate. Looking at it filled me with determination. I would not fail Optimus. He had given me this symbol himself, had accepted me into his ranks. If I had to die to save him, I would. I just hoped that the twins would forgive me if it came to that.

Nodding to myself, I looked up with blazing optics. "Let's go!"

They ran out first me following close behind, firing off round after round to distract the cons that spotted us and gave chase. Not for the first time I found myself wishing that this rifle packed more of a punch, or that I was bigger because it seemed like nothing I was doing was having much effect outside of distracting them.

That had to be good enough, and it was at least distracting them long enough for us to dip between buildings and escape from their sight. We must have repeated this a dozen times, in just as many minutes. It felt like we were rats trapped in one of those mazes.

At least it felt like this, until I heard two familiar voices yelling for us. "SAM! CLARE!"

I whipped around instantly upon hearing my Aunt and Uncle yelling for us, catching sight of them running towards us, but before they could reach us a red con with a drill attached to his abdomen came flying over the building to land between us. He struck the ground with enough force to send us all flying in opposite directions.

When I came up from where I had been knocked over I saw him pointing a gun at both Aunt Judy and Uncle Ron.

Sam threw himself up from the ground. "Wait!"

"No Sam! Just run! Run!" Uncle Ron yelled.

"Dad just be quiet!" Sam yelled back. "Wait! You wanted this right?" He held up his sock filled with the Matrix dust.

Sam no! I was about to get up when I heard somebot whistling at me. Turning around, my optics landed on Bee peeking out between two buildings, his optics meeting mine before he gestured at both the red mech, then at a small feline bot that I hadn't seen before. He was asking me to distract them. Ok I could do that.

Forcing myself to my peds, ignoring the sudden pounding in my chassis, I raised my rifle while the con was distracted and fired at him.

He jerked back allowing Bee to leap at him from the top of another building. I watched them fight for a moment before the cat bot charged me at such a speed that he was literally just a blur!

He slammed into me knocking my rifle from my servos, and sending us rolling over the sand as I slid my spikes out of my gauntlets and grabbed into his back plating. I could hear Sam yelling at me, along with everyone else while we grappled. But I had to focus on the con currently pinning me down.

His claws were digging into my plating, jaws locked around my neck. Only one of my servos finding purchase between his jaws saved me from having my neck torn open, my other servo was digging deep into his own back ripping at plating, wires, cables, anything that I could find purchase on.

This was less like a fight and more like a savage brawl. Both of us were hissing savagely, optics narrowed, battle systems running on high. Ripping wires out of each other, sending cables flying, spilling energon on the ground. We just ripped at each other, and while I would've preferred to have done it differently but he had me pinned down, and there was little that I could do to shake him off.

His tail was whipping me in the face, a wicked looking ion cannon attached to the end, that I had to keep maneuvering around to keep him from shooting me in the helm. I wildly searched for something to grab onto, preferably a spinal relay that I could rip out! When I finally found one I dug my claws in and ripped at it as much as I could!

He arched up with a pained yowl, claws raking across my supersensitive chassis, ripping a startled yell of pain from me. In response, I rolled my body upward dislodging him from me, allowing me to scramble up from the sand and lunge at him, digging both of my claw tipped servos, and blades into his back gripping at his entire spinal relay.

With a mighty roar I yanked with all my strength ripping it out completely. The bot below me fell dead with a pained yowl, leaving me panting over him with his spinal relay dangling from my servos.

All of me was just numb with the realization that I had killed again. Even when Bee came over after killing his own opponent it took me a moment to acknowledge him. He looked at me sympathetically, whether it was because of my physical or emotional state I didn't know.

I forced myself to stand. We had to get to Optimus. That was more important than my pain, physical or emotional.

No sooner had I stood Aunt Judy was trying to hug me. I had to push her back gently because of the energon on my frame. "It's not safe for you to get this stuff on you Aunt Judy."

"We thought that you were going to die!" She started sobbing.

"I'm ok." I looked at Bee, then at both of them. Sam met my optics as well nodding to what I was thinking. We had to get them out of here.

"Bee take my parents somewhere safe."

"NO!" Uncle Ron replied vehemently.

"Dad you have to!"

Uncle Ron gripped Sam's shoulders and shook him.

"NO! We're not discussing this! You're my son and Clare is my niece!"

"Dad!"

"NO! We'll all go together! We're going together!" Uncle Ron repeated.

"Uncle Ron you two have to go." I told him quietly. "It's not safe here."

Sam pushed them towards Bee who had changed to alt mode. "Get in the car ok? Bee is gonna get you to safety. You don't stop. You don't hide. You run ok? Do you hear what I'm saying? I'll find you when it's safe!"

"No!"

"Dad! You have to let us go! You have to!" Sam pleaded desperately.

"Ron?" Aunt Judy came forward. "Ron you have to let them both go."

Uncle Ron looked between both of us for a moment. "YOU COME BACK! YOU HEAR ME? BOTH OF YOU BETTER COME BACK!"

"We will dad."

We ushered them over to Bee where they piled in, Sam stopping in front of Mikeala. "Go with my parents."

"I'm not gonna go with them!" She argued.

I almost expected him to try arguing with her but he didn't do that. Instead he just turned and pulled us along, and we just kept running without looking back. Past the firefights going on around us. Explosions ringing out near us making my audios ring. We just kept going, never looking back, even when several helicopters were shot down around us we kept going without acknowledging it.

Once we got closer the three of us ducked down against a building. They needed to catch their breath, and I could sense familiar EM fields somewhere nearby.

"We've got to find Sam and Clare!" A familiar voice called out from nearby. Arcee!

"ARCEE! IRONHIDE! CHROMIA!" I yelled as soon as I saw her, Chromia, Flareup, and Ironhide come racing around a corner. "OVER HERE!"

They zipped in our direction. "Clare are you three ok?" Arcee asked.

"Yeah. Yeah we're all ok." It was only a partial lie really since they didn't know about my spark chamber problem.

"Slag Clare you look like pit."

I snorted. "Thanks Chromia." I snarked, to which she just smirked in amusement despite the situation.

"Follow us to the pillars ok? We'll take you to Optimus." Arcee told us. She turned around and was shot straight in the midsection, spraying internal cabling and showers of energon all over the sand as her frame crashed to the ground.

I lunged over the wall and knelt beside her, bringing my servos to her chassis to start healing the damage. "ARCEE! Stay with me ok?!"

Her optics were dull as they regarded me. "I-ll try."

"Ok good! Keep those aftholes away from us!" I yelled at Ironhide while I worked. Flareup, Chromia, and him moved to intercept them to give me time to work. Even so, I worked faster than I ever had before, my panic fueling my power. I ignored the pain in my spark chamber that grew rapidly worse for some reason the longer I did this.

Her plating pieced itself back together in astroseconds, and then her optics brightened back to their normal sky blue color. She quickly sat back up, rubbing at the now healed plating of her chassis that looked no different than it had before she'd been shot. "Thank you Clare."

"No problem. We gotta go though, ok? Please don't get shot again!"

"I won't." She promised me. "Now go!" With that she turned and threw herself back into the fight.

"Ok Sam let's go!"

"Ok!" We started back in the direction we needed to go! It couldn't be much farther now! We had to be close!

"Clare!"

We closed in, catching sight of Sides and Sunny fighting a group of cons ahead of us. The former had yelled for me, wide, fearful optics staring at something behind us. I heard peds pounding against the sand behind us, and I knew right away that it wasn't from somebot friendly. I didn't want to know who, but I turned to look anyways.

It was Megatron chasing after us, the twins, and Ratchet immediately switched their attention and started shooting at him to try pushing him away from us, but with so much going on around them most of their shots either strayed off course, or just grazed him. None were effective enough to faze him much though.

I turned back ahead, focusing solely on trying to get to Optimus instead of worrying about the hulking mech chasing us down. My optics landed on Lennox and Epps crouching down in the remains of a destroyed building. "Clare! Sam!" The former yelled when he saw us, and we quickly sped up and ducked down next to them. "You better have a good reason for us to be here!"

Sam ignored him. "Where's Optimus?"

"He's right over there! Across the courtyard!" Lennox pointed at where Optimus' body was laying a ways away, covered by a tarp.

"I gotta get to him right away!"

Lennox shook his head in the negative. "Not with an airstrike coming!"

Sam wasn't having it. "I HAVE TO GET TO HIM RIGHT NOW!"

"What the hell is that?" Epps yelled when something shot over our heads.

Lennox looked up, and gestured for us to get back further against the wall. "Back! Back! Back!"

We scrambled out of the way as a bot shot down and transformed right in front of the wall where we had been standing, firing a massive cannon into the line of tanks opposite of us. The shot almost grazing the top of the wall we were ducking again, barely missing us as well.

There was another loud crash near us. "BEHOLD THE ETERNAL GLORY OF JETFIRE!" I peeked out over the wall, catching sight of Jetfire rushing towards another con. "NOW I'LL SHOW YOU HOW WE BROUGHT THE PAIN IN MY DAY!" He proceeded to beat the con to death with his cane of all things.

But another con suddenly shot up from the sand before he could move, and tore through his middle out of nowhere. Jetfire grabbed it and ripped it in half, before he fell face first onto the sand below. "I'm getting' too old for this scrap." He muttered.

Lennox turned towards us. "We're gonna make a break for Boss Bot on my command ok? You stay with me ok? Stay on my ass!"

"I hope these F-16's got good aim." Epps muttered.

"Yeah?" Lennox asked distractedly. "Why do you say that?"

"I told them to hit the orange smoke." Epps explained.

We all froze when orange smoke billowed over us. "You mean that orange smoke?" I asked dryly.

"It wasn't my best toss ok?" Epps muttered as he shared a look with Lennox.

"RUN!" They both shouted out of nowhere. All of us took off like the devil was on our heels running as fast as we could towards Optimus.

I saw my Opi and Dad fighting some cons nearby as missiles started raining down from the sky. Explosions started going off all over the place, blowing sand and debris around us. Cons were going down left and right, Autobots dodged out of the way of the blasts. I turned around and saw Ironhide running after us, with Megatron running almost parallel to him, but his attention was not on the bulky black bot at all, no it was locked on us.

Mikeala, Epps, and Lennox kept running straight while Sam and I veered off when the blast hit, making a break for Optimus, running side by side.

Everything seemed to slow down the moment I looked back again to see what was happening, Megatron bursting from the dust with his cannon aimed at Sam. I saw the weapon charging up to fire, saw him aim it and release.

And I just reacted too fast to even really comprehend it, spinning my entire frame around and placing myself directly in the line of fire to take the shot instead. The force of it tearing through my chassis sent me flying through the air with an agonized scream, peds flying over my helm as I felt my back slam into the ground.

"CLARE!" Sam and Mikeala screamed.

"CLARE!" That was Opi... and Dad.

Sam raced over to me, falling onto his knees beside me. I regarded him lazily as he cried, feeling too weak to move really. But I'd gotten him to Optimus, and that had me smiling around the energon pooling in my mouth. "I... toldju... I'd... ge' you... to him."

"Why did you do that Clare?! You're so stupid!"

My vision started blurring, chassis popping open to expel the heat and spark energy building up inside in an attempt to be released. It hurt… I thought that dying wasn't supposed to hurt…? But agony pulsed through me with every surge of spark energy that escaped me, and it was all I could do not to scream as the sound of yelling started up all around me. Ped steps pounded closer, the yelling becoming louder…

The bots that were closest rushed over to where we were, multiple forms falling beside me. Voices were yelling, servos pulling at my chassis to try and stabilize me. It wouldn't work. I knew that I was dying…

If I had to die though... I had to at least prove that the Twelve's faith in me was not misplaced. I had to make sure that Optimus came back to life, so that somebot could be here to fight against The Fallen and stop him…

Somehow… I just instinctively knew what I had to do…

The small amount of Allspark energy that I could utilize normally wouldn't be enough to reassimilate the Matrix… but the brunt of it escaping me as I died would… All of it rushing out of my frame in one last burst, brimming with energy… would be enough…

I somehow managed to muster up enough strength to raise my arm and grasp the sock Sam was squeezing the life out of, grasping it as I felt the energy within me immediately shift as if in response to what was contained within, or maybe as a result of my intentions…

Energy started pooling along the surface of my frame, racing along my overheated plating like and arcing into the air, before culminating around the servo I had desperately clutched between my digits. It encompassed it, disintegrating the sock that was housing the glittering dust of the Matrix, which billowed out like it was hit with a magnetic charge. The particles spreading out and circling my servo like a vortex, piece after piece coming together like a puzzle, until the Matrix itself was fully formed in my palm…

I smiled, despite feeling death literally creeping up on me… It was like I was going numb, and I couldn't feel my body anymore, outside of the coldness creeping throughout my frame. Tears welled up in my optics as I stared up at Sam, who was now sobbing uncontrollably. "Get… it… to… Optimus…"

My servo fell, one last burst of energy escaping my chassis as everything around me went dark, and a very deep voice seemed to cradle me as the life faded from my completely.

"_**Come now young one. This is not true death, it is simply you transcending from one form and into another. It is time to return to your true body."**_

I wasn't able to respond, because the silence and darkness of death overcame me at last…

* * *

**(Sunny's POV)**

Nothing had ever terrified me so much in my entire life as watching Clare, the femme I had chosen as my spark mate, go flying through the air after taking a shot from Megatron's cannon.

Nothing had ever sent so much agony through me, besides thoughts of losing Sides. But it wasn't Sides laying on the ground with a gaping hole through his chassis. It was Clare. Small, sweet, brave... stupid Clare. What the frag had possessed her to do that?!

Another wave of agony hit me from Sides when he realized what had happened, as soon as I felt it, it was like this was all real. I knew that it was, but some part of me was trying to convince myself that it was a bad vid file. Something that I desperately wanted to believe wasn't real!

But when I saw the fleshy kneel next to her and start yelling at her, I realized it wasn't a bad vid file. It was real. Upon that realization both Sides and I rushed towards her, as did Ratchet, Jazz, Prowl, and even Ironhide.

She didn't look up when I fell to my knees beside her, next to Sides and Jazz who did the same. Energon was dripping down from her lips, her smiling lips. She was dying! Why the pit was she smiling when she was dying?!

I couldn't talk. Any words died as soon as I thought about uttering them.

I could only watch Ratchet working on her in a desperate attempt to save her, and it didn't seem to be working. Spark energy was literally seeping into the air around her…

Sides was begging her to stay. Tears were falling from his optics.

Clare didn't look at any of us, instead she raised her left servo and grabbed at the cloth sack that Sam was holding. At first none of us knew what she was doing, until tendrils of spark energy started to flow into the cloth covering.

The energy encompassed her servo, swirling around the sock holding the remains of the Matrix until it dispersed completely. The particles of the Matrix being left suspended in the air where the energy seeping out of her slowly pieced them back together piece by piece.

Ratchet started yelling at her. "Stop that right now! All you're doing is weakening yourself!" His servos were trying to steady her still.

She didn't even acknowledge him.

"Sweetspark please stop..." Sides begged her.

She still kept pumping her energy into the Matrix, refusing to acknowledge any of us. It didn't even register to me that it was working, that she was fixing the Matrix. All I could focus on was the way her optics started dimming more and more.

And then I heard her utter words so soft that I barely heard them.

"Get… it… to… Optimus…" Her optics flashed, glowing a bright purple color that was so foreign in normally sapphire blue optics. Then her servo dropped like a pile of scrap, one last burst of energy exploding from her chassis and staining the sky a myriad of colors. Blue, purple, gold, pink, and black, but the last color seemed to encompass all the others, leaving only small flashes of the colors to appear through the forming cloud, before it suddenly disappeared in thin air.

Tears welled up in my own optics as I desperately held her lifeless frame in my servos... My optics drifted down to the gaping hole where her life essence had seeped out of her, landing on a small four pointed crystal laying against one side of her spark casing, each point being made up of the colors her spark had flashed when she died, and the center was a dull black. Was that… what was causing her so much pain?

The thought fell to the back of my processor when her frame suddenly started disintegrating in my grasp, like sand slipping through my digits. Like it wasn't enough that she was dead, now her frame was turning to dust… and I couldn't do anything to stop it…

I just held her, desperately grasping at her, even as her frame slipped the rest of the way through my digits, leaving the gem that had been in her spark casing to suddenly flash as black smoke encompassed it, then it raised up out of my servo like it was caught on the wind, and drifted up into the clouds before I could even think to touch it…

It was all I could focus on, not anything else… Not the squishy pulling himself together and rushing towards Optimus to fulfill Clare's last request… or Sides crying next to me, alongside Jazz and Prowl…

I just stared at the clouds where the gem had disappeared… feeling like the last part of her had just… left us...

Tears welled up in my optics when that realization finally hit home…

Clare was gone…

Dead…

We hadn't been able to protect her…

Hadn't been there for her…

She'd sacrificed herself for the squishy… and to save Optimus…

It felt like… my world was ending…

I just sat there… not acknowledging anything around me…

Not even when a loud groan sounded, like metal being bent out of shape against its' will sounded from behind me.

Not even when the sound grew gradually louder, and the ground suddenly shook…

I didn't even look up when several sharp gasps rang out, from the bots gathered around, and even from the humans… Even Ratchet and Ironhide were staring at whatever had caused the commotion in a twisted assortment of awe… and disbelief…

Even the gunfire going on around us had ceased…

Then… a hesitant voice penetrated the buzzing in my audios…

"Optimus… what in the name of Primus happened to you?!" Ratchet stammered…

Then Optimus' much deeper baritone answered back. "Ratchet… what am I?"

* * *

R&amp;R! Another cliffhanger ending! Next chapter is going to be interesting to say the least! I hope what I came up with makes it all worthwhile! ;D


	35. Chapter 35

Here's the next chapter! Lots going down in this one, on top of a few more surprises! I hope you all enjoy! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS! Bear with me because I haven't written 3rd POV in a while, but it's necessary for this part! Also some of the backstory for this fic is based off of the fic Extinction isn't always forever by Moonlightdeer! It's turned into a collab fic, and her characters will be making an appearance at some point, some more frequently, and with bigger roles than others! Just wanted to throw that out there!

* * *

**(3****rd**** POV)**

Every able bodied person, human or Cybertronian stood frozen, staring up at the massive form towering over them and blocking out the sun with his monstrous bulk. No words were uttered, the silence so deafening that one could only hear the deep rumbling breaths escaping the large draconic being standing over them.

Once red and blue plating, had turned to thick scales of the same color, that covered the entirety of the once Cybertronian Optimus Prime. A splash of silver decorating his underbelly, and maw, similar to his previous form's face and protoform.

Large wings sat atop bulky shoulders, the top of the membranes being stained a dark blue that gradually brightened until it turned to a violent red near the bottom. Two sets of three horns sat atop his head, the middle being larger than the ones lining it on either side, each being a dark gray, with a blue tip on each, from behind them, two large rows of spikes rose skywards from his neck, gradually shortening into stubs as they travelled down to the base of the neck, and ending entirely between the wings.

The red parts of his hide licked at the blue parts, like the flames that decorated his previous armor. Both colors melding together and clashing into a bright violent lining between the two. His stocky, muscular build was accentuated by a long, thick tail that flicked out from behind him, the brunt of it turning and revealing a sword like, metallic tip, similar in design to his arm blade.

Eyes that were slitted like a reptile stared down at everyone gathered in a daze, the pupil being a dark blue, that being surrounded by a bright silver that lined the entire length of it, surrounding it on all sides, and then that was further accentuated by a bright electric blue that took up the rest of his reptilian irises.

Ratchet stood up, slowly approaching him. "Optimus… what in the name of Primus happened to you?"

He blinked as if to dispel the fog in his mind, breathing heavily through his nostrils and expelling a cloud of blue and red smoke. "Ratchet… what am I? I do… not feel like… myself…"

Three toned eyes drifted down, taking in the large dark gray claws resting on what were most definitely not peds, but instead looked like massive paws. He craned his stout, yet still somewhat elongated neck around in an effort to take in his new features, but some of the protruding armor plating on his shoulders prevented the action due to the angle of his neck being too low to pass over the top.

Instead he slammed his snout against the sharp edge of one of the thicker plates, jolting back with a snort that sent another cloud of thick smoke into the air. "What in the name of Primus…?" He exclaimed, not being able to fully comprehend what was going on.

"That ain't got nothin' to do with Primus!" Ironhide grunted. "Last I knew, having contact with the Matrix didn't cause a Prime to turn into one of those organic predacon things, like the ones from…" He skimmed over mentioning Clare's name out loud, because he knew that her death was a fresh, festering wound in the sparks of quite a few of the bots around him. "…the runt's video games?!"

Three toned eyes widened, snapping around in their sockets to try and take in all he could, becoming aware of the fact that seeing directly ahead was difficult, due to his eyes now sitting on the sides of his head and not at the front as they had with his Cybertronian helm. "But... how?!" He murmured, and nobot had an answer for him.

At least until Sam spoke up. "Optimus! The Twelve remaining Primes! They left a message that... Clare... worked out! They said that the Matrix granted a power that was too great for Primus to let them keep! This must be it... this was what they were trying to keep from the Fallen!"

All attention was on the human teen for a few moments after that, at least until an enraged roar sounded, causing all, including the now Dragon Prime, to turn to face the source. Megatron, he was charging directly towards Optimus, the first round already flying towards Optimus' side. "No matter what form you take Prime! I will offline you! I did so before, and I shall do so again!" He roared, the sound accentuated by round after round piercing the air from his cannon.

There were shouts of dismay when the large rounds hit, detonating on contact.

Yet, nothing happened, the smoke cleared after each one, to reveal no injury, only singed blue and red scales. This did not deter the Decepticon Warlord though, as he continued to charge, causing the humans who tried to stop him to scatter to avoid being stomped into the sand and undoubtedly crushed.

Optimus huffed, a sense of irritation filling him as he raised his front left paw from the ground, rolling onto his right side slightly, before simply slapping Megatron away with his massive appendage, larger in width and height than his nemesis by quite a degree. The force easily swatting him into a sand bank on the other side of the battlefield through two buildings. "Pest." He grumbled, his scaly lips parting in an irritated snarl.

"Yo! Prime jus' bitchslapped bucket helm like a lil' glitch!" Skids exclaimed, high fiving Mudflap before the two found themselves on the receiving end of Ratchet's wrench.

"Shut up you stupid half bits! This situation is hardly something to be laughing at!" The CMO cursed angrily. He was obviously still upset at himself for not being able to save Clare, and to compound his frustration now Prime had apparently been altered into an entirely different species… and he had no idea what their leader now was, or how to treat him and get him back to normal.

"Ratchet… that kind of behavior is not helping anything." Optimus rumbled in a deep baritone growl, one that was cut off when something suddenly rammed him in the side with enough force to actually knock him off his large paws and onto his other side, eliciting a startled bellow from him as he struggled to roll himself back upright, at one point his hind leg snapped out, the appendage slamming into a ruined building and sending all that was left of it flying through the air with the impact.

A flash of silver tinged with copper flashed by in front of him, snatching the Matrix that had been laying haphazardly discarded on the ground after Optimus' change. The current Prime having no opposable servos to pick it up with, if he'd even noticed it at all. That left The Fallen with a perfect opening to swoop in and snatch it up.

The former Prime shot up to transform and land on top of a dilapidated pyramid, with the Matrix clutched in his wicked claws. "Finally I, Megatronous, can be restored to my full power. With Ierena dead, and your current disciple unable to use his new form, there is nothing that you can do to stop me Praxidrakulus! Now all I have to do is contend with your pet, and Sion, and no one will be able to stand against me!" He roared, as he raised the Matrix over his helm and thrust it into his spark casing, which then exploded into a pulsating wave of energy that expanded outwards and covered his entire frame. That of which began to expand as well, the sound of metallic plating bending outwards to accommodate the growth was clear to hear over the howling wind of the desert, the light was just dim enough to show as what were once bipedal legs and arms seemed to morph into something that was distinctly not Cybertronian. He grew large paws, with claws that gripped onto the pyramid that he was perched on, which began to buckle and cave as his body elongated and grew, adding to the weight bearing down on the ancient structure. His spine elongated, seeming to outstretch his body and show vertebrae that were very much made of bone, not metal, but they were quickly obscured by the muscle and tissues that quickly grew over them. Boney plating grew over the flesh that was pulsating with silvery veins, that pumped lifeblood that was not like anything those gathered had ever seen before. He hunched as the rest quickly formed, the faded maroon colored armor closing in on everything that needed to be protected, revealing his surprisingly emaciated form, the bone structure sticking out from where the plates were a bit weaker. The armor near his shoulders split as flesh seemed to expand outward like winding tendrils that quickly merged together to form first the skeletal structure of the wings, and then the sickly gray, tattered membranes formed immediately afterwards.

Tattered wings spread upwards, beating several times with such force that it caused the pyramid beneath to finally crumble, and whipped up a sandstorm that sent several vehicles that were close by flying, the force sending the bots back as well as the humans who were simply flung away with the force of the wind, eliciting startled shouts of terror from them.

He tilted his head back, two sets of three horns and two rows and spikes that were a mirror image of the newly turned Prime clipping against the protruding shoulder armor he'd sprouted, as his blood red, and electric blue eyes flashed when he let off a bellowing roar. "Finally! I am Fallen no more! Bow down before the true form of Megatronous!"

Those down below stared up at the Fallen's new form with identical expressions of fear, all besides the newly turned Prime who's eyes suddenly flashed purple…

* * *

**(Optimus POV)**

I barely had time to react to the sight before me, when something else invaded my mind, a presence which overwhelmed me without fight due to my shock at all the events currently transpiring.

_**"Relax young one, I'm merely here to help."**_

That voice... "Primus?" It was an off servo... paw... guess, but the rumbling chuckle which echoed around my helm as I lost all control of my own body, both confused and unsettled me greatly.

_**"Your perception, apparently one of your greater attributes, is correct. Now, seeing as you have no idea how to use your new body, I'll be taking the opportunity to... oh what's that phrase that I've heard Sion, and Ierena say from time to time, a human term I believe... **__**'Get back in the saddle'? 'Stretch my legs?'**__** It does not matter, they're the ones who have to put up with the humans, they know the terms better than I do."**_

I was left, for the most part, shocked. Yet, a question made it through. "What do you mean by that?"

Before I could respond, I realized I was moving, legs pushing down and getting fully underneath my form from where they'd been laying haphazardly since I'd been knocked over, a sense of dizziness filling me at the sudden distance from the ground which my helm sat at on my elongated neck, which had formed a shallow 's' shape.

_**"At ease Optimus, I know what I'm doing. Allow me to deal with my own mess. Megatronus should have been dealt with eons ago, and I'd rather not burden Ierena or Sion with this mess. Sion because she has much to deal with at present, and Ierena because she has not lived all the years she has been alive. She's still too young and inexperienced to handle him at present."**_

That explained nothing… If anything it left me completely confused as to who Ierena, and Sion were… I had never heard the designations spoken before, and I was feeling even more lost than I was previously.

"_**Sion and Ierena are both very dear to me, that is all you need to know for now. Now then, I think it's about time I take my former creation to task for his indiscretions. Calling him that makes me feel distinctly old…"**_ Primus rumbled in irritation, quite unlike how I expected our creator to conduct himself._** "Now then, if you will excuse me… this aft beating is long overdue." **_

I could not believe that our creator was so… unformal…

* * *

**(3****rd**** POV)**

Megatronus had been moments from unleashing a fiery hell upon all in the surrounding area when Optimus crashed into him, eyes glowing purple and narrowed down to the finest slits as his large jaws locked tight around his upper throat, fangs putting on so much pressure that they punctured the thick plating there, drawing thick rivulets of silver blood from the wound. Megatronus responded almost instantly with a furious roar, one clawed paw snapping up to try and pry the jaws off as his neck began thrashing, trying to shake his assailant loose but only making the fangs sink deeper and denting the thick plating which covered the underside of his neck.

The possessed Autobot leader slammed a massive paw into Megatrnous' chest in response, a growl ripping free from his upper chest and could be easily heard by all surrounding, even as humans and bots had to run for their lives to prevent the massive paws of the two dragons from crushing them under foot as they struggled against one another, Optimus evidently the stronger of the two, but he was smaller than Megatronus, the maroon and silver dragon taking advantage of this whenever he could, despite Optimus gouging and ripping at the thick armor plating protecting the flesh underneath Megatronus' neck and upper chest. Finally, the former Fallen was able to rip himself away, raising his claws and smacking Optimus' on the side of the face with enough force to knock him away and get some distance between them so that he could recover somewhat from his injuries.

He lowered himself closer to the ground, angling his back so that the injured area was less exposed. Then he charged towards his slightly smaller, and more vibrant colored opponent, head being lined up like a battering ram so that his sharp horns would puncture the sensitive underbelly of the current Prime, while the thick silver plates which lined the top of his helm and between his horns were aimed more at snapping whatever came into contact with it.

But much to his surprise Optimus, who should not have known instinctively what to do in retaliation, spun and smacked him away with his thick sword tipped tail, the dangerous edge slicing into his neck and sending silver blood raining down on the ground as Megatronous stumbled back from the blow, shaking his head back and forth to try clearing the daze he was now in.

"_**Did you really think that I would allow myself to be bested by such a simple maneuver Megatrnous? A hatchling fights with more tactile movements than that!"**_ A deep, rumbling voice boomed across the battlefield, emanating from Optimus, despite him not actually speaking.

Megatronous eyed Optimus' body with barely concealed fear. "Praxidrukulus? What are you doing here?!"

"_**I have come to put an end to your reign of terror Megatronous! My power was the gateway through which you were brought into existence, and it will also see to your demise. You will never be allowed to plague this world, or any others again. I will not allow you to continue being a threat to Sion, or Ierena! Today is the day I end this for good!"**_

At that Megatronous maw widened, sharp serrated teeth being revealed in a macabre smile. "You are too late to save Ierena Praxi! She has already met her end, just moments before you arrived! How does it feel to know that you are too late to save her after all you have done to ensure her survival? My namesake has already done away with her and in your current state there is nothing that you can do about it!" He cackled gleefully.

"_**You are truly a fool if you think that she is truly dead Megatronous. I have put plans for every possible contingency into effect long before you were even created, or were aware of her existence. It is a gift that comes with the ability of foresight."**_

A thundering growl escaped Megatronous as he spread his legs and took an attack ready stance. "Then I shall have to contend with her again once I've taken care of you! It is not like you can remain in your pet's body for long Praxi! When you are forced to return to your slumber, I will kill him! Then I will hunt down Sion and contend with her, and then no one will be left to protect Ierena! You cannot make up for your shortcomings when she is truly dead! Your plans will all be destroyed by me! In the glorious name of my master!"

"_**Try stalling as you will, but I desire nothing more than to get back to beating the hell out of you!" **_

Without missing a single moment, harsh arcs of electricity began dancing over the Prime's frame, jolting out from around the armored chest area and racing down him on all sides before suddenly jarring up and flowing up into the six horns which sat on either side of his helm, having run between the rows of spikes behind them, which seemed to look like biological tesla's, before vanishing into the scales between and to the sides of them. Not a moment after the blinding light show, the Prime's jaws snapped open, unleashing a flurry of lightning like bolts towards the larger, emaciated dragon, who had barely a moment to react before it stuck him directly in the lower neck, the ensuing explosion of force and electricity sending the male back a good few hundred meters.

A massive tremor rocked the ground when he slammed into it, skidding a good few dozen meters further, and whipping up more sand and debris with the force that his body hit with. The force with which the sand particles hit the gathered bots' armor with, caused a flurry of sound akin to bullets ricocheting off of a hard surface.

He finally came to a rest at the base of a large sand dune, where he laid dazed for a few seconds, before he quickly regained his bearings and pushed himself up before Praxi could close the distance and capitalize by pouncing on his downed form.

He widened his stance, summoning a current of electricity over his body in the exact same way that Praxi had done prior. Quickly charging it up, he opened his mouth and fired at Praxi, who was within a few feet of him, the blast hitting him point blank in the silver scales which made up his face with enough force to send his body flying through another pyramid. the impact left him crashing through the ancient structure, massive chunks of sandstone were sent flying like dust in a hurricane, some crashing dangerously close to humans and bots alike, forcing them to flee even further back in an attempt to escape the danger zone.

His body buckled and rolled across the sand in a tangle of limbs, but he recovered in a fraction of the time it took his adversary to. Within a second he was back upright, just in time for Megatronous to charge in with his horns lowered and ready to skewer his opponent. Praxi quickly countered by lowering his head and charging back, locking horns with the slightly larger form, resulting in a loud bang as their thick skulls slammed together, the shockwave of the impact rippling down both of their necks, akin to mountain goats ramming one another. Massive paws slid along the shifting ground, at one point, one purple eye spotted the twins, still kneeling in the same place they had been before the brawl, staring at Sunstreaker's empty servos, somehow they had gone unscathed, the massive chunks of sandstone dangerously close to them alerting the more vibrantly colored dragon of the danger the two where in.

He was able to move, pushing against his adversary in such a way that he was facing away from the twins, allowing his tail to wrap around the two, and with as much gentleness as he could concentrate on, he flung them away with a bull whip like motion of the tail, sending the unresponsive, yet still clearly conscious mechs flying towards the other Autobots, who quickly rushed to the two limp mechs to continue pulling them away from the two brawling dragons as they continued to push against one another, kicking up thick sand clouds, filled with potentially deadly debris.

They pulled back at the same time, rearing up on their hind legs with bellows of outrage that shook the ground, before their skulls collided again, this time forcing them to remain upright as their long arms began delivering harsh blows to one another's chests and the far thinner abdomens, and anything else which could be reached. Their tails were used to brace their forms as they continued their brawl, hissing, snarling and roaring at one another.

"What's wrong Praxi? Are you so desperate to get rid of me because I pose that much of a threat to your oh so well woven plans, that you would take such a weak and unskilled form without any hesitation?! Ha! You're more fool hardy than that useless piece of slime that my namesake was able to dispatch so easily! You really are a pathetic excuse of a creature you worthless shadow! Even Sion is stronger than you! And she's a useless cripple!" Megatronous snarled out mockingly, all while delivering a harsh blow to the underside of Optimus' chest, partially winding him.

Not a moment after he finished speaking though, it was like the Egyptian Desert had just lost its ability to make sound, a deathly silence rolling over everything within a mere moment. Megatronus seemed to realize some horrendous mistake he had made, his dual color eyes widening in fear as he froze in place, horns still locked together as a low rumble built within the red and blue male he was locked with, the finite slits which made up the center of purple eyes shrunk into tiny dots as fangs became bared and a bright glow built up in the back of his throat and around his chest.

A menacing, haunting, and murderous voice left the now livid male._**"You really do have a death wish if you dare to speak of Ierena in such a way and call me by such a name, Megatronus, then you have the gall to call Sion a cripple. She is strong, and if there was the possibility that I fail to end you this day, she would destroy, you. But that doesn't matter you just signed your life away... to the grim reaper himself. Say hello to the damned for me, I'm sure they'd welcome you in the underworld… well I know one who will… She's going to enjoy your presence greatly… Along with your brethren."**_

With that he locked their horns together by twisting his at an angle that interlocked the sets together completely, then he lifted himself up on his hind legs again, dragging the struggling form of Megatronous up with him, until the slightly larger male was standing on his hind limbs, the forelimbs wildly kicking and clawing at his opponent in a futile attempt to claw through the thick armor on his chest.

Then Praxi spun, knocking Megatronous off balance and pinning him on the ground with a tremendous body slam, jaws quickly clamping down on his neck to hold him in place as he squirmed to get free like a frightened animal, the glow in the back of his throat pouring forward in the form of liquid fire, the thick liquid searing Megatronus' damaged under flesh, ripping an agonized scream from him as the liquid goo coated most of the upper part of his neck, the flames sinking into any and all open wounds, and searing the flesh a noxious black as the smell of burning flesh filled the air in all of its nauseating potency.

"_**Never mess with a shadow Megatronous… you never know when one is going to reach out of a dark little corner, and drag your soul into the void. This has been long overdue… say hello to the underworld… I'm sure they'll enjoy prolonging what I'm doing now!" **_Praxi growled against his throat, ripping another scream from the pinned mech as his burning wounds were assaulted, legs kicking weakly against the one pinning him, but it had no effect, his wind pipe clenched tight by the crushing force on his neck causing him to lose his ability to mentally function properly. The smaller dragon rumbled contently, before he conjured a current of electricity over his claws and slammed them straight through the weakened plating on Megatronous' chest.

Silver blood spurted up from the gaping wound, which crumbled further in, then exploded outward as a massive wave of heat rushed out from the fallen male's chest. His two toned eyes lost their color, going dim as silver rivulets started pouring out of them, as he coughed more out of his maw.

Then his body twitched one last time, before going completely still, head and neck lolling to the side before crashing to the ground, the rest of his form going still not long afterwards, twitching a few more times from the current ripping through him before going still. What were once scales quickly began crusting over as Praxi ripped his arm back out, molten goo pooling from between his claws as it landed firmly back onto the ground, but only for a moment before he reared up on his hind legs, maw falling open in a triumphant roar which seemed to split the heavens, as the thick storm clouds those around hadn't even noticed, ruptured in a cacophony of sound and light as pillars of electricity struck the ground, barely missing the bots and humans, totaling some buildings as the deafening roar continued, causing all around to have to cover their ears or audios in a barely effective attempt at drowning out the sound. All of this happened while the corpse of his fallen adversary began to fossilize before their eyes, forming a small rocky outcrop, which Praxi quickly tore apart, his paws slamming into it with enough force to shake the ground as he set to work almost blindly destroying the rock formation, until it was mere boulders, scattered across the former battlefield, no turned silver blood bath.

He lowered himself back down onto all fours and made his way back over to the group of Autobots and humans still standing around watching, the Decepticons having already fled when Megatronous had been defeated. _**"I will return your Prime to you now. Make sure that he knows that his job is not done."**_

Not one spoke as the purple glow faded from Optimus' eyes, leaving dull blue and silver in its' wake as he fell to the ground in an exhausted heap. "That… was… an interesting and exhausting experience… I hope that there is never another situation where that is necessary…" He mumbled in a daze.

Ratchet rushed forward to kneel next to his head, which was easily big enough to dwarf him at least five times over. "Are you alright?! What was that?! Who the frag is Praxi?!"

Tired blue eyes rolled over to regard him lazily. "I… believe… Praxi and our Creator Primus… are one in the same…"

Ratchet paused in looking him over, though he had no idea how to treat… dragons… "Praxi and Primus are the same being? Are you trying to tell me that our Creator is a giant dragon of unknown origins?"

"Yes." He exhaled heavily, sniffing at the air through his massive nostrils. "Ratchet… I am surprisingly hungry… and something smells enticing…" He rumbled.

They all looked over at where his eyes had zeroed in, comical expressions overtaking their features when they realized that Optimus was smelling the charred frames of the dumb twins, who apparently were not lucky enough to get out of the way when lightning started being flung around during Praxi's victory roar. They were charred from helm to ped, frames frozen because their joints had been completely fried, leaving them unable to move and smoking.

Skids coughed up a cloud of smoke. "Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhhhh…"

"Someone should probably do something about them…" Lennox sighed, feeling far too old after this battle.

"I will eat them…" Optimus muttered, saliva dripping from his mouth as he tried to push himself up, a low whir building up in the back of his throat as his jaws began to open wide enough for those around to spot the serrated blades spinning along the sides of his throat, ready to slice through the charred metal of the idiot twins.

"PRIME NO!" Ratchet shouted, along with a good portion of those surrounding.

Optimus huffed, the sound of the blades halting as he instead tried to push himself up. "Very well, Lennox, have your men prepare transport for the injured… I need to go find something to sate this hunger." He declared, eyeing a moderately sized Decepticon which one of his men had dispatched during the fight. "He should do for now…"

Those left behind exchanged worried glances as their Prime lumbered over towards where the corpse lay, limping slightly due to the injuries he had sustained.

None of them knew where this new twist in their lives was going to take them.

* * *

**(Clare's POV)**

**Where was I?**

**I felt like I was a billowing mass…**

**Not solid… with no weight to me…**

**I imagine that this is what it felt like to be a cloud…**

**Time seemed to have no meaning, I didn't even feel it passing. I had no way to keep track of how long passed, since I literally could feel nothing around me. It was like I wasn't awake, but sometimes I felt like I was asleep… and other times I felt as if I was on the verge of consciousness, but I could never cross that threshold and wake up.**

**I was dead…**

**I remembered dying…**

**Death itself wasn't painful to me. It was just like a blanket of cold surrounding me, and pulling me out of my body, and from there I'd been in this place. But it was warm and peaceful here, dark but not ominous…**

**Even so… I wanted to go back to the land of the living, and return to my friends and family… But most of all, I wanted to return to my twins. Maybe all the dead felt this way? Yearning for what they once had, but could no longer grasp?**

**We all wanted to live again…**

**I wanted to live again…**

**Even in death, I didn't just want to give up and remain here… but I couldn't fight it… There was no way to fight it, no solid form to return to…**

**Death was absolute. It was inescapable.**

**I would never get to tease Sam about his nerdiness again, or hang out with Mikeala in her garage. I'd never get roped into helping Uncle Ron with the lawn, or have to drag Aunt Judy away from the weed brownies again.**

**I'd never get to listen to music with Opi, or sit with Dad and listen to him prattle on about tactics and Cybertronian History, and see the way his normally icy blue optics became warm when he recalled his home with me.**

**The twins… I think that I'd miss them the most though… I'd miss pulling pranks with Sides, and having to run from Ratchet and his wrenches when he caught on and chased after us. I'd miss the way I would run the other way while Sides acted as a distraction, and I'd make my way back to their room where Sunny would be sitting huddled up in front of his easel working on something, and then I'd crawl into his lap and watch. I always curled up against the warm plating there, and sometimes I'd be lulled to recharge by the peace and quiet that we found ourselves in.**

**I'd never wake up curled up on top of one of their chassis again…**

**I already missed it…**

"_**Sometimes what appears to be death is only an illusion young one."**_** A deep, rumbling timber seemed to echo from all around me, wherever that was.**

**It startled me, not that I physically reacted to it, because I had no body. But I felt distinct surprise at hearing it. "Holy fucking hell! Who's that?!"**

**When whoever it was next spoke, he sounded distinctly scolding. **_**"Watch your language Ierena! One so young should not be speaking in such a crude manner!"**_

"**Wait… how do you know my name? And how many people know my fucking name?!" I yelped.**

"_**Ierena! What did I just say about you using that language?! Stop cursing! And as for how I know your name, it is because I was the one that gave it to you. Now stop acting like this is unfamiliar territory for you!"**_

**If I could give him a look right now… I totally would, and I was definitely thinking about it right now… Ya know… if I had a face… "This is unfamiliar territory you asshole! I don't even know what the fuck's going on right now!"**

"_**I will explain when you stop cursing like a sailor! That may be how Sion conducts herself, but she was not raised by the most civil of beings! You however, were raised with morals! Act like it!"**_

**The fuck…? Ok, now I was even more confused than I was a couple seconds ago… "Ok first off: Who the he…ck… is Sion? Second: Who the heck are you? Third: What the hell… heck is going on here?! See? I can watch my language somewhat, and be polite. Now tell me what I want to know!"**

**He sighed, the sound echoing around this realm I was trapped in. **_**"Sion is a relative of yours."**_

**I cut him off before he could continue speaking. "Hey whoa wait for a second there buddy! Are you saying that I have a relative? As in a blood relative? Wait does she even have blood? Because I'm pretty sure that I have energon not blood… But then again… I didn't see any energon or any cables or anything when Simmons had me vivisected. So I've always kind of wondered about that…"**

"_**Your… physicality… has varied as the situation calls for it."**_

"**Eh… confusion level just rose a thousand percent… Is there any way you can explain what's going on in English? As in not in some weird alien pig latin? How the heck do I even have a blood relative that I've never known about?! C'mon buddy give me some answers here! I'm confused and lost!"**

**He rumbled, though I couldn't tell whether it was in amusement or irritation. **_**"Sion is your cousin, your mother was her Aunt. As for why you have never met her, it is because she is not present in this plane of reality at the moment."**_

"**Uhhhh… what?"**

"_**She is currently in another dimension, dealing with another aspect of this whole… debacle that we've now found ourselves in. You two could not be left together, because the destruction that you both could've caused without adequate supervision had to be avoided, to prevent the world you were placed upon from ending up consumed by complete and total anarchy."**_

"**Jeez… you don't seem to have a lot of faith in our abilities yah know?"**

"_**By the time it was possible to bring you into this world you both would have been infants, with Sion being slightly older than you. With both of your abilities in one place, you both would've caused destruction on a galactic scale. That would not have been good. So we had to separate you two."**_

"**I don't understand what you mean by, 'causing destruction on a galactic scale?' How could I possibly cause such widespread destruction, when I'm like… six feet tall? Literally… I come up to Sides and Sunny's knee! I'm so tiny that they can barely frag me!"**

"_**The body you have been inhabiting is a fake one. Your real one has been kept preserved all this time, waiting for you to return to it when you were ready. Though I am beginning to wonder whether your current caretakers have been a good influence on you…"**_

**If I could've shrugged I would have. "Well I could've turned out like Sam! He's a total wiener!"**

"_**He may be a… wiener, but he seems like he cares for you greatly."**_

**Well that was true, and it made me think back to every instance that he was there for me when I needed it. My thoughts kept drifting back to the moments after Starscream had attacked me, and Sam was the first one to come to my side and ask if I was ok… He'd always been like that when it came down to it, doting and fretting over me… If I ever met him again… I would only tease him half as much!**

"_**I do think that you should treat your friends and family better, but joking here and there is still ok. In fact, I encourage it. But you will have time to make amends later, for now we have many important things to discuss."**_

"**Like what?"**

"_**Let us find a more… scenic place to talk shall we?"**_

**In between one second and the next my energy form seemed to become more tangible, like I now had limbs, almost like when I was alive. But I still felt distinctly… intangible still as well, and when I opened my optics I was floating in the middle of an absolutely massive room.**

**It was dark and dingy, with plants growing in through cracks in the walls, which were spotted with dirt and grime, barely showing flashes of white here and there from their previous state. Shattered, dirty crystals lined every inch of the massive columns that stretched all the way to the ceiling, which was decorated in even more crystals. It was so high that I almost couldn't see the top actually, even with my high powered optical sensors. I didn't even want to judge the distance…**

**I was floating in front of a set of enormous stairs, each step big enough to make me feel like I was just a speck of dirt in comparison. I doubted that if I laid down on it you'd be able to distinguish me from the dirt coating them, marring even more crystals that were lining the walkway.**

**At the very top were two platinum gold thrones lined with crystals, the one in the center was raised, and the one on the right was lowered a bit. I was sure that they were once beautiful, but now they were coated in grime, and some sort of plant was twisting around the center one, almost like ivy overrunning it.**

**Where was I? **

"_**This was once a place that those like us dare not tread of our own volition."**_

**When I looked back up at the main throne my optics widened when they landed on a friggin' ginormous black dragon sitting on the middle throne! "Oh shit… well… my lifelong dream… of seeing a real life fucking dragon… has come true. I can stay dead and be forever content with being dead! This was the one thing… I never thought I'd get to see on my bucket list! Well fuck if I had my list, and a pen, I'd check it off and then just die afterwards. This is the coolest thing ever!"**

**Eyes that were a two toned black and purple on the edges, with a cluster of white speckles in the center, that glowed a myriad of luminescent colors of every shade, stared down at me from his massive black head, tipped with two sets of three gray horns on each side, the middle being the largest. He had a plum colored underbelly, and membranes making up the underside of his wings, with brighter lavender colored speckles lining the edges of the rubbery looking appendages.**

**His body was stocky and muscled, with a stout neck, and broad shoulders and hips. He somehow reminded me of a male body builder… only the tip of his claw was bigger than even the largest human male in the world. That's how freaking huge he actually was!**

"_**My name is Praxidrakulus, but Cybertronians refer to me as Primus."**_

**My thoughts literally came screeching to a sudden halt… "Ok… my processor just shorted out! Did you just say that you're Primus?!"**

"_**Cybertronians call me Primus, but my real name is Praxidrakulus. I'd prefer it if you would call me that, not Primus."**_

"**Ok… uh… Can I shorten that somehow? Not that I can't remember it, but it's a real pain in the aft to say all of it. How about Pax?"**

"_**I would prefer you to call me Praxi."**_

"**Ok… Praxi. Why am I here though? I thought I was dead, and now you're telling me that I'm not. I'm really confused." I admitted honestly.**

"_**I have stated that you are meant to return to your real body, now is the time."**_

"_**Praxi can you just get to the point of all this already?! Ancients above, if you carry this out any longer another millennia will have passed before you get to the point! I'm about to pass out from boredom here, and your other guest is anxious to talk to Ierena too!"**_

**I looked towards where the voice came from, and Bob was sitting on the lower of the two thrones. "What?! Bob what the frag are you doing here?! And when could you talk in a femme's voice?!"**

"_**Technically… I was never an insecticon to begin with, not that telling you that would clarify anything at all. I possessed Bob before he even hatched from his egg, and that is why he immediately took a liking to you, and before that I possessed your dog Frankie. It was all me, as Praxi and Liara tasked me with protecting you and Sion. This was the easiest way to do so, without giving too much away. When you return to the Autobots, I will relinquish Bob's body back to him and assume a different form. I grow tired of being an insecticon… I prefer being something more feline in nature."**_

"**You're like a weird cat lady aren't you?" I deadpanned, though I was feeling a good bit of amusement with the situation regardless.**

**Her form suddenly distorted and glowed a bright luminescent green, shimmering as she seemed to shrink and reform as something distinctly feline, yet still small. When the glow faded a white angora sat with emerald green eyes staring at me. **_**"Ierena I am the definition of a crazy cat lady. Isn't that right Praxi?" **_**She looked up at the massive black dragon staring down at her unamused.**

**He snorted out a thick cloud of black and purple smoke.**_** "I think we are getting off track again…"**_

**I snorted. "No doubt. So… can we possibly get to the point of all this… kinda dead, but not really dead experience thing?"**

"_**To put this into perspective, that body of yours is merely a temporary vessel. You were never even meant to be trapped in it for this long, but certain… unexpected events forced me to strengthen the seal that binds your… essence to it. Originally you were neither Cybertronian nor human, but another species entirely, but I was forced to extract a small portion of your essence and implant it into a Cybertronian carrier, who you then shifted on an anatomical scale to match. Your essence appears as a spark in this form, and not even the most skilled medic can ascertain that there is anything off with it. For all intents and purposes it is flawlessly disguised. However, your physicality changes as the situation calls for it, and for a time you were not Cybertronian either. Instead you took a human form, when your previous one dispersed due to certain… circumstances… and you became a human infant. That is how you have lived most of your conscious life so far, though there is much that you do not remember from before that time."**_

"**I thought that I was a pretender the whole time though…"**

"_**That was… a side effect that came about after you came into contact with the Allspark… It simply reverted you to a composite form that would allow you to co-exist with whatever side you may have chosen. Think back to when you were… vivisected…" **_**His voice deepened into an angry rumble when he spoke the word. **_**"you admitted that the scientists did not find anything out of the normal for typical human anatomy correct? Why do you think that was?"**_

**Understanding dawned on me fully, causing my optics to widen to the size of saucers. "I was… human then…? Like… not Cybertronian at all?"**

"_**That is correct. I was not joking when I said that your physicality changes when you have need of it, without even needing your consent to do so. It is an inborn ability that those of our kind have always possessed."**_

**My thought process came to a complete, abrupt, screeching halt. I just stared up at him, and he stared back down at me without speaking as I tried to comprehend what he just said! It only took me twice as long as it should've to come up with a conclusion, and when I did my jaw dropped and I just screamed. "I'M A FUCKING GIANT DRAGON?! THAT IS THE COOLEST FRUCKIN' THING EVER!"**

"_**We are not dragons Ierena, that's the human terminology and it isn't accurate. The proper name of our species is 'Titan', but the full name is something that I can't be bothered to try pronouncing."**_

"**Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Back up there for a second dragon peeps! I thought Titans were just fairy tales! And they were always portrayed as humanoid beings that rivaled the Greek Gods like thousands of years ago!"**

**He seemed to chortle, bristling as his maw seemed to tilt up on the sides in a smile that showed a whole lot of razor sharp, serrated teeth. **_**"The Greek Gods are merely the human's perception of where they should stand in the balance of power. The truth of the matter is that my original Thirteen creations, and Zyriun… may have had an influence in many of the human's mythology. They are the ones responsible for the stories of Dragons and Godlike beings, because they often times assumed human forms when needed."**_

**The white angora seemed to purr proudly in response to the last part of that statement. **_**"And I may or may not be responsible for the stories of the Egyptian cat God Bassat."**_

"**So… I'm guessing that you're Zyriun then… since the other Thirteen that he mentioned were obviously the original Primes, and they're officially all dead. Kinda sucks, because they seemed like fun bots to be around. That reminds me though! Why grant them the power to turn into… Titan hybrids, if you were just gonna take it back later?"**

"_**It was more… energy efficient to temporarily grant the power, then reclaim it in order to keep myself from growing too weak. They are doing well however, with mother to keep them company in the afterlife."**_

**A cue the screeching halt of all thought processes!****"Mother?! So you mean you didn't just suddenly pop up out of nowhere somewhere out in space!?"**

**Zyirun chuckled, white paw pressing against her cute little mouth. **_**"No he didn't just pop out of nowhere Ierena! My sister Hariun is the one who carried him, while his other mother Liara is the one that got her pregnant."**_

**So… Praxi had two mothers? ****"So… the God of all Cybertronians is…."**

"_**Just your everyday Shadow Titan Prince."**_ **Zyirun answered.**

**Praxi nodded.**_** "That does not mean I did not create Cybertron and the Cybertronians. They are still my creations as well. My mother, Liara, is the Shadow Queen, and perished after sustaining fatal wounds from her own twin sister, Giaveniria, whom my mother successfully killed. Leaving myself, Zyirun, you and Sion, as the only Titans left in existence. Zyirun because I had just enough energy left to resurrect her, and you two, because my mother and I were able to save you eggs from destruction." **_**Praxi explained.**_** "The events… which happened then, will forever haunt me…" **_**He mumbled, shifting to reveal his right side to me, revealing a gruesome set of three claws marks evident along his side, along with one of his horns, being just a jagged stub, the position it had been in previously had hidden that from me.**

"**What… what happened? Why are we the only survivors?"**

**The two looked to one another, it was a strange sight, a tiny Angora Cat sharing a look with a Dra… Titan, easily the size of a super tanker.**

**Zyirun was the one to answer. **_**"Gia… she was the Queen of the Lights at the time, the complete opposite of Liara. The two sisters had never been able to see eye to eye, what with the events which transpired in their hatchling hoods that not even my sister knew the full extent of… Lia was always a proud, strong, and brilliant leader, compassionate, loving, and determined to win and defend all innocent from wrongs, the true definition of a Shadow Queen. She led the rebellion against her sister. Gia, was a cruel, dominating, power addicted borderline psychotic being, fueled by the belief that all other creatures were below her… She was the one who convinced their father, the King, to murder her and Lia's mother, Erasimnathi, who, despite being a light, had been working to break down the social barriers which had plagued our race. All that work Gia quickly demolished once she inherited the throne. I'm getting off topic here… Gia, was losing control, it was evident that even the highest members of her court, were beginning to doubt her, to argue with her, to upright abandon her. Her own mate, Kioloundonus, Kiol as we knew him fondly, was a devoted Shadow sympathizer, his loyalty firmly set with Liara, long before Gia claimed him as her own. She was also spoiled rotten I should add… when Gia lost control, she ordered the creation of a virus… That virus, was a monstrous plague, which she willingly unleashed on her own… in an attempt to purge the 'unworthy', in hopes of blaming it on the shadows… She'd rushed the production, foolishly believing that Lights would be able to resist it… There was no antidote… and within days, families were going mad, ripping each other to ribbons, the entire Titan race… all killed by a bloodlust we couldn't fight… It is a miracle in itself that Praxi and Liara weren't effected… mostly due to them being so far away from where the virus was released… But we still lost so many good, untainted ones, to those who couldn't fight it… and within a few human decades, none of us were left… Not even Gia's son was able to escape it, his own corrupted mind leading Uniderunis to constantly attack Praxi, even when all others had long since passed… Uniderunis, to Cybertronians, is Unicron… I think I could have worded that differently… but that is effectively what happed… We were all wiped out by the crazy bitch who was Praxi's aunt on Lia's side…"**_

**I… was speechless.**

**Praxi sighed.**_** "Zyirun… I had hoped you would have done that more discretely."**_

**The Angora just shook her head. **_**"If I didn't warn her, what she would see as her body assimilates would have driven her mad potentially… and we both know that Sion wouldn't beat around the bush with this."**_

"_**I have a suspicion that she will be just fine no matter what gets thrown at her Zyriun. She seems to have inherited a strong will of her own. When the time is right, I trust that she will not give up and do what is right."**_

**It might just be my imagination, but I was positive that his mult-faceted eyes flashed a myriad of colors in the space of a second, and they seemed to soften at the edges just slightly. Maybe I was just imagining it, because as soon as I noticed it, it was gone.**

**Something in the atmosphere around us seemed to change, growing more serious and heavy. Praxi turned to look down at Zyriun, and she disappeared with a wink after taking some sort of unspoken cue from him. He then rose to his full height and stepped down from the throne he was previously sitting on, hind legs flashing out and kicking it over with enough force to take the top part of it off. **_**"Hmm… Sion has taken a liking to beating on her mother's throne… now I see the satisfaction in doing so myself. But I digress, and there is someone else who I have brought with me who wishes to speak to you, and I am bound by honor to allow her to see you."**_

**He came to tower over me… which let me tell you… really made me feel small… "Dude… not gonna lie, your size is intimidating me a bit. I mean, I'm still super tempted to piss you off enough to see if you breathe fire, just please aim it at something besides me when I yank on your tail ok?"**

"_**You are easily distracted… I will show you later. We have more important things to attend to… and someone is currently yanking on my horns because she is that impatient…" **_**With that he reached around to the base of the cluster of horns that lined his neck, which I hadn't seen before, and grabbed something. Something that gave a very feminine like yelp of surprise, before he came back around with a Cybertronian femme held by the scruff bar by one tooth.**

**He sat her down in front of me, and she easily towered over me by at least double my height. Her armor was a bright silvery white, and her frame actually looked a lot like mine, but she had audio horns that were a little straighter and stuck upright, unlike mine. She also was lacking claws, and instead had a heel on each ped, somewhat like ShimmerNova.**

**Dark blue optics, like sapphires, stared down at me as she bent down so that she was actually face to face with me. And then she just stared at me for a moment, until it got awkward and I looked to Praxi for help. "I think something's wrong with her… She's not talking."**

"_**Give her a moment… she has been dead for quite some time, and you are a lot different than she last remembered you."**_

**Before I could turn back to my silent watcher, something suddenly plucked me up and crushed me against a well-endowed chassis. ****"Oh my little Ascella! It's been so long since I saw you last!"**

**I squeaked when she started twisting her frame from side to side, flinging me around like a ragdoll almost, vents stuttering when she squeezed the ever loving shit out of me. "Gah…! Halp… me…"**

**Who the frag was Ascella?! Why was everyone suddenly calling me all these different names that I had no idea where they came from?! Well ok… I knew where Ierenadrelana came from, but I was still confused as to why Praxi named me.**

**Wait a minute… Was I that dumb?**

**I scaled up the femme who was squeezing the life out of me, until I was able to look over her shoulder at our onlooker. Once I was able to see him I pointed at him accusingly. "You asshole! You're my fucking dad aren't you?!"**

**He cocked his head at me. **_**"You figured that out quicker than I was expecting given the circumstances."**_

**I opened my mouth to unload on him when the femme squeezing the life out of me tightened her grip and nearly snapped me in half! "She's fricking crushing me! Who is this anyways?!"**

"_**She was your surrogate, Cybertronian carrier. Her designation is Stellara, and Stellara could you please stop trying to squeeze the life out of my only remaining hatchling?"**_

**Stellara looked up at him irritably. "****Creator or not, if you don't let me hug her as much as I want to, I will come up there and punch you in the eye. Let me hug my sparkling in peace!****"**

**What the hell?! Now I was her kid too?! "Ok so… she's my surrogate carrier?! Am I a Titan or am I Cybertronian?! Make up my mind for me!"**

"_**You are a full blood titan. I implanted a fragment of your essence into Stellara here, and she gave you a Cybertronian form as all carriers do, then she gave birth to you. But it was a temporary form, meant to keep you safe, until the time was right for you to change back. Which is now."**_

**I held a servo up to stop him. "Ok… who's bright idea was it to wait all this time before fucking my reality over?! Cuz I technically died, but it wasn't ever my real body so I'm technically not really dead, and now there's a crazy Grand Aunt involved in my life, who apparently was the inspiration for the Egyptian Goddess Bassat, because she's a crazy cat lady!" I stopped to take a deep breath. "And now I've figured out that you're my father, and not the cool, "Luke I am your father type shit", but just like you made me figure it out on my own you asshole! That… with my attention span sometimes, that could've taken me centuries to put together! I can never think on one thing for too long I swear! You could've just been up front with me from the start! And now I apparently have a Cybertronian carrier, trying to see if she can break me in half like a freaking chopstick! Can you please stop squeezing me to death?!"**

"**No."**

**Praxi, dad, dragon, Titan guy… just rumbled in amusement. **_**"She has missed you a lot Ierena."**_

"**Clearly…" I muttered. "Is she gonna do this all day?"**

**She pulled away to look at me. ****"Probably."**

"**Fuck me…"**

"_**Ierena…"**_

"**Oh don't you Ierena me Mr. Dadoftheyear!" I snapped moodily.**

**Something smacked my aft, making me squeak at in surprise as my optics shot down to the narrow sapphire ones staring back at me. ****"Don't you talk to him like that little femme! You have no idea what he's done to make sure that you were safe!"**

**She sat me down and put her servos on her hips like a mother about to scold their child, which in a roundabout way I guess I was. But I was… feeling the familiar pain of being unwanted in my chassis, like when I was little and I thought that I'd just been abandoned because I wasn't wanted. It was irrational, and the rational side of my mind tried to convince me that I wasn't an abandoned, unwanted child, but the irrational part of me was convinced that he'd withheld the truth throughout this whole conversation, because he didn't want me to know, because he didn't want me.**

**He just stared back at me, but it was Stellara who moved to kneel in front of me and wipe the tears that were flowing down my cheeks away. ****"Ascella… Our Creator has done everything possible to make sure that you and Sion were well cared for and protected. That's why he came to me and asked me if I would become a surrogate carrier for you, because he wanted you to be able to live all this time. He didn't want you to be completely trapped in suspended animation for trillions of years! He had no way of raising you, like he so badly wants to, because he is trapped as the core of a planet! How can he provide for you and protect you when he can't even move? Why do you think all of this was necessary in the first place? Why do you think that I accepted his plea so readily? Cybertron was at war, I'd lost my previous sparkling to events that I couldn't control, and I didn't feel fit to have another! But I saw how pained he was over your current state, and I couldn't say no. Even if there was somebot else that could've done what I could, I wouldn't have been able to pass the duty onto somebot else. He gave you up so that you could actually live."**

**By the end of her emotional tirade she was crying and desperately embracing me. I couldn't help but to wrap my arms around my… carrier… and hug her back. All while I kept eyeing my… Father, who was standing in the same spot, though he had his head bowed down… almost… shamefully?**

**She pulled back to cup my cheeks and get my attention back on her, smiling shakily. ****"Let him be the parent he couldn't be for all this time, let him be able to cherish you, like how I tried to cherish my own daughter before I lost her. Please, Titans have sensitive essences... for all of their thick armor and stubbornness... all they want to do is feel what most species take for granted. Let him love you like any father should... please, give your father a chance, after all he did to ensure you were as safe and happy as possible... I think he deserves you walking over there, and telling him exactly how you feel, no sugar coating, no cryptic messages, I want you to be ****as blunt as a club with him as possible. Will you do that for me? Please?"**

**With that she stood and moved to the side, leaving a clear path to him. "D-Daddy…" I hiccupped, as I slowly shuffled forward, ignoring the way the energy started pulsating around me and I seemed to instinctively move onto all fours, my entire body tingling as the world around me seemed to shift and shrink. Even my Father seemed to shrink, though he still towered over me.**

**I felt my neck elongate as I craned it up towards him. "Hold me."**

**He slid one leg forward to create a nook for me to squeeze in against his chest, head craning down to nuzzle me, as the massive wings formerly sitting erect on his back came down and wrapped around me, creating a canopy around us. **_**"So... long... I've waited so long for you to say that to me... Oh Ancients... I never want to let you go... I already lost your mother... I already lost your brothers and sisters... I don't want to lose you as well... Please... forgive me…"**_

**I felt more hot tears spill down my cheeks. "I already have… I love you Daddy."**

**Light silver droplets dripped onto my shoulder. **_**"I love you too, my little Star Light Breaker."**_

**Despite the situation I found myself curious as to the new names. "What's with the new names again?" I sniffled.**

"_**It is the human translation of Ascella, and Ierenadrelana. I figured you might want to know… now hush and let me hug you like I haven't been able to in trillions of years. Your mother would've been so proud of you… just like I am… Stay safe my little Star Light Breaker…"**_** Before I could respond, before I could fight it, darkness overtook me, the last thing I felt was my daddy holding me tight, and him whispering something I didn't catch.**

**I don't want to go… I don't want to lose my daddy… I just found him again!**

* * *

**R&amp;R! The feels are so strong right now! I almost cried!**


	36. Chapter 36

The events which are transpiring in this chapter have not been reached in the other fanfiction that is linked to this one! So please don't be confused if you go read Extinction and it hasn't caught up to this point! Ierena belongs to me! Aurora belongs to my friend Moonlightdeer! Plot is a collaboration that we're both working on together! Please do not steal or use our characters, or try to copy our plot! Thank you! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

**(Ierena's POV)**

I came to with a groan, processor… or brain… still swimming with the dream that I'd just come out of, where apparently Primus wasn't Cybertronian, and instead he was a Titan, who happened to be my dad. Something told me… I stuck my finger… digit… into a light socket last night…

My eyes… optics… blinked open, taking in a dark cave…? I jolted up from the ground, helm shooting up much farther compared to the rest of my body… frame… which was strange. It felt like a giant… noodle…

When I looked down… large black lizard like limbs were resting beneath me, each tipped with a set of wicked looking dark purple claws. Black… scales, with a dusting of plum colored speckles made up my legs, all the way up to the plating on my shoulders. I craned my neck at an awkward angle, like a noodle bent in half, and looked at my icy blue underbelly.

I continued to look myself over, eyes snapping to the wings on my back… all four of them… the larger set sat on my shoulders, and the smaller pair sat further down and under my first two, the inner membrane was a myriad of blues, darker stripes running from top to bottom while the other side of them were black like the rest of my body, with more of those plum speckles. My eyes then trailed down to the two tails which twitched around on the ground, each one tipped with some weird ornate long sword or claymore like blade… holy frag.

"What the… that dream was real!" I exclaimed as I leapt up from where I'd been curled up and subsequently slammed my head into the ceiling of the cave I was in. "Son of a glitch!" I hissed, trying to reach up and rub the now, very sore, spot where my head had made contact with the unforgiving cave roof.

After a bit of fumbling, and nearly falling over, I was able to lower my neck enough to rub my poor aching head... wait... those weren't scales, I was able to grab some off the weird stuff sticking out of my head between some of my claws, which were not the most dexterous things in the world. Low and behold, I have a bunch of ice blue and plum purple feathers sticking out the back of my head! Oh and don't forget the slew of thin horns which came between the feathers and my head, they were slightly twisted, facing back behind me, and damn they were sharp!

Well, Daddy didn't have feathers... so I wonder where I got these from... maybe it was a female only thing? Gah, shows how much I know right now! Yesterday... or however long I've been out for, I thought I was a Cybertronian pretender! Nope! Clearly not! Instead, I'm a giant freakin' alien dragon Titan thing!

"Goddammit… Wait… am I cussing at my Daddy right now?" I mumbled to myself. Even if I was contemplating it, I couldn't help the swell of giddiness that built up in my chest when I could actually refer to my biological Father as Daddy. Sure I had Jazz and Prowl as my Opi and Dad, and I loved them dearly, but there was just something about knowing who my real dad was, and being able to call him Daddy, that made me feel… as if the hole I'd always had inside from thinking I was an abandoned, unwanted child, shrink a little bit.

Even after being adopted by Opi, that hole had still been there, festering behind the happy mask I always put on. I was so good at ignoring it, that sometimes I kind of forgot it was always there. But the remnants would sometimes prickly at the back of my mind when I was alone, and it would manage to fill me with sorrow again.

But now that I knew my real Daddy hadn't abandoned me, that he really did love me… it made me feel a lot better. I smiled… or was it more like a sneer? Could dragons really smile? When Daddy did it was kinda like… when a dog bared its' teeth at you… But to me it wasn't threatening really… so I guess it was safe to assume that we could smile…

"And here I am arguing with myself about whether or not I can actually smile…" I muttered to myself, as I licked my… maw, my long purple tongue feeling particularly dry. "I need something to drink…"

The floor of the cavern shook as I turned towards the opening of the cave and slowly ambled outside, into the slightly cool night air. I craned my neck up to take in the night sky, which was a dark purple, with bright stars shining through the veil. That was… a strange sky… It was pretty though!

Where was I anyways? This was definitely not Earth!

That much was apparent from the overgrown sci-fi film type fauna growing all over the place. Some of which looked like giant Venus flytraps, but they had long squid like tentacles, and instead of having bright red on it, the body of the plants themselves were a dark orange, with purple lining the inside of it. Other plants looked like they fit right in with the clusters of dark orange, carnivorous plants, I could see all around me. Some of them even had these strange…. Insectoid legs sticking out of their traps… Looks like they had a good meal… I did not want to know what the bugs were…

As I made my way through a field of tall grass that was swaying without a breeze to cause the movement, my eyes landed on these trees that looked like they were made up of these soft blue vines, individual ones being what made up the entire tree. On the vine branches these bright pink tear drop looking fruit were dangling enticingly…

I felt my belly rumble with hunger… and it was then that I realized how ravenous I was…

As I made to approach it and pluck some of the fruit up, a small mammal of some kind scurried up onto one of the branches, and I stopped to watch it edge towards one of the fruits dangling precariously close.

I jolted when the vines it was perched on suddenly shot apart like the tentacles of an octopus, and wrapped around the little guy, jagged spikes stabbing into it and ripping a terrified squeal from it as it was encompassed by them and pulled down to the base of the tree, which happened to be a mouth lined with razor sharp teeth. The vines pulled the little thing all the way down to the mouth, which snapped down and sliced it to ribbons with its' shark like teeth!

I blinked… "What the hell kind of ecosystem is this?!" If I wasn't so much bigger than everything around me I'd be scared to get eaten! As it was I wasn't taking any chances with the predatory trees, so I was officially going the other way!

I turned and ambled away from where I'd just seen that macabre display. Craning my neck upwards, I used my nostrils to tentatively scent the air for the first time, and the rush of different smells that went shooting up my nose nearly made me faint! There were so many different ones, and they were all so strong that I couldn't discern between them at the moment. It left me coughing and shaking my head to try dispelling the burning in my nostrils!

How the hell was I supposed to find water or food like this? I try using my new nose, and the scent overload almost makes me faint!

With a huff, I took a deep breath through my mouth, and then took another small sniff of the air to try and prevent myself from getting light headed again. The first attempt wasn't much better, and the second was much the same, with me ending up feeling dizzy because of all the different smells. It took me a few more tries to learn to balance and process the myriad of scents in a way that didn't give me a headache, and after a bit more probing I smelled something… moist…

My tongue suddenly felt far more parched than before, urging me to press forward in a clumsy jog towards the source of the scent. It took me a moment or two to get my bearings on running on all fours, not on two legs as I was used to, and a few times I almost got tripped up and fell over my own paws. Luckily I was able to keep upright, but this was definitely going to take some practice to get the hang of!

I pushed through the tall grass, tipped with glowing yellow flowers, while the stalks of these were a dark purple, unlike the grass outside of the cave I was in. The stalks parted as I pushed through, and I was left standing on a hill overlooking a lake, glowing white against the dark purple night sky. Even from this distance I could make out the hundreds of thousands of white flowers under the water, glowing bright enough to illuminate the whole massive lake, and cast a soft glow around the entire area.

It was… breath-taking…

I quickly trotted down the hill and came to a stop at the edge of the lake, where a cluster of the white flowers was clustered together near the edge. My tongue actually did lull out of my mouth as I lowered my head to the surface of the water… but before I could so much as take a gulp, the flowers started glowing a brighter white for some reason.

Energy seemed to culminate from them, and it seemed to spread outwards to the rest as a tendril of almost see through energy rose from the flowers closest and extended towards me. I was transfixed by it, not moving as it wrapped around my leg and slithered all the way up to my chest like a snake, turning grey and then black in the process before seeming to pass right through my scales and into my insides, a slight chill going through me as it progressed, but I was too transfixed to even think of moving. I only did so when it retracted and slid back into the glowing water after turning back to its original color.

That was… unexpected. Shrugging it off, I lowered my neck to try drinking some of the water, lower jaw grazing the water so that it would pool into it, my tongue instantly picking up on the…. Oh frag this was some good stuff! I could drown in this and be forever content!

I went to swallow when a low hissing sound radiated from the water, and my eyes locked on something shifting just below the surface, with rows of circular teeth starring right at me and being the size of, frag if I knew! I was not staying to find out!

I back pedaled instantly, letting out a terrified scream as this thing rose out of the water, it's translucent body reflecting the glow of the lake, and allowing me to the see the thousands of big and small creatures within it.

And the scariest part? The six legged snake monstrosity, was at least nine times bigger than me, its massive grabber like claws slammed into the shore line as one reached forwards to grab me, mouth wide and each individual fucking shark tooth moving on its own like a shredder!

I went to run, to sprint for my life, to get away from this thing, when something grabbed me from behind, yanking me away and into a stumbled run.

"RUN!" A feminine voice yelled at me, yanking again.

She didn't have to tell me twice!

My legs were pumping hard after only a second, slamming into the ground as hard as I could to propel myself, all whilst that thing chased after… us?

I glanced to my left, taking in the large, powerful legs thundering beside me, all four a bright blue with the area around their paws and claws being a darker blue, with four thick black claws tearing up the ground, the lighter areas of their legs covered in spots and strikes of the same dark blue color, and they seemed a bit longer than mine, my legs and frame being lower to the ground than the one cantering next to me.

Glancing up further I was able to see her head, which rose above the tree tops themselves. "Who the hell are you? And what the frag is that thing?!" I yelled up at her, hoping I would be heard over our not so quiet running for our lives.

Her eye glanced down at me, and she just gave me this odd mix between a smile and a grimace. "How about I answer those questions, after we get away from that fucker?" She responded, ooooh! British! She sounds like one of those British spies who kick ass in pretty much ever spy movie I've watched.

"…JUMP!"

Wait, did I miss something? Not a moment later, she'd launched into the air just ahead of me, soaring over a massive gorge and landing on the other side, this thing had to be at least the Eifel tower in width… wait! I gotta jump this thing too! SHIT!

My front paws had already passed over the gorge before I was able to react, the muscles in my hind legs coiling before I launched myself into the air, my wings spread out on instinct, the air catching them, why hadn't she done that?

I was able to see her full on now, she had reared up onto her hind legs arms outstretched and mid shout of something I hadn't noticed her yelling.

Time was moving surprisingly slow for me, at least until I realized that I hadn't gotten far enough across to make it.

I was just about to scream when her long lithe neck snapped out and coiled around my own and somehow locked in place around my shoulders, her claws clamping down on my forearms in a very nearly crushing grip, leaving me to slam belly first into the gorge side.

Ow.

I watched her chest rise and fall heavily, listening to her labored breathing against my shoulder, her neck had to be wrapped around me at least two times from what I could feel. Once she'd regained herself a bit, she began pulling at me, giving a single grunt as she continued to yank me up the side of the cliff.

"You know, you have legs, mind helping me here?" She panted out.

"Oh right! Sorry!" I responded, digging my hind claws into the cliffside and trying my best to push myself up.

After a bit of effort, she was able to pull me all the way up onto the top of the cliff, both of us crumbling to the ground, she uncoiled her neck from mine after a moment, and somehow rose back to her full height, which was a bit of a height boost over me, but not nearly as much as Daddy. She had maybe… I don't know how much… but she wasn't towering over me like he did!

Before I could think further on the matter, she'd whacked me in the side of the head with her front right paw. "Hey!" I snapped.

And that was when I saw the beyond irritated look on her face. "Are you suicidal?!" She yelled, somehow keeping her voice under the point of deafening. I just stared up at her as she looked back over the gorge, at the see-through snake monster that was now going back the way we had come. "Ancients damnit, that thing almost got you… for the love of the ancients! Next time you see a lake, do me a favor, and don't go and try and take a drink! If you wanted something to drink you could have asked me! Do you know how worried I was, when I got back to the cave and found you gone?! Didn't Praxi tell you to stay put and only leave the cave, when I'm there to keep you from harm's way! Valumna is not a kids play area! This place was a second from eating your sorry ass back there! Do you have any idea how dead I'd be if I had to tell Auntie Lia, you went and got yourself killed?! I'd be skinned alive!" She ranted, shaking her head from side to side in agitation as she paced in front of me.

I just stared up at her, not sure how to respond when she finally sighed and sat down on her rear, wings held tight to her back and head raised on her 's' shaped neck, one quite a bit thinner than Daddy's. "You have no idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

I shook my head.

She let off a groan, lowering her head down so that she could run her paw over it. "Praxi didn't tell you to wait in the cave like I asked him to?" I shook my head. "He didn't tell you I was going to be somewhere in the vicinity when you woke up?" Another shake from me. "Did they even tell you what planet you were going to wake up on?" Again, another shake. "Ancients above… next time I see Praxi I'm going to give him a piece of my mind… and a rifle shot to the ass… Anyway, I believe introductions are in order then?" She asked, that accent of hers was accentuated by her lilting voice.

I shook my helm to clear the cob webs, having been looking over her face, head, it was quite odd looking, bone like dark blue ridges sat atop her head, one eye on each side of her head, and over all looking like an axe head, pointed at the snout with it spreading out further back to accommodate the large mass of thick twisting grey horns, each one with what looked like ribbons wrapped around them, a darker blue than the rest of her color, behind those was a large cluster of feathers, all of them different shades of blue again.

Seriously, what was with this femme and blue? I mean, I know it's probably genetic, but still.

"Ermm… introductions?" She spoke again.

"Ah! Right! I'm Clare! Or am I Ieren? Or Ierena? But my surrogate carrier called me Ascella…"

She let out another groan. "Let's just go with the one your most comfortable with… I really need to have a word with Praxi later… and Zyirun."

"Mmmm… how about you call me Ierena? When I get back home I might just have the bots call me by my Cybertronian name, because I at least want to honor my surrogate carrier in some way. Oh and I'll probably still go by Clare with my Aunt, Uncle, and Cousin too. It's easier that way, and Aunt Judy loves the name Clare! That's why she named me that!"

She blinked bright blue eyes at me the dark blue pupil focusing on me. "Are you certain that you want to go by so many different names at once?"

I shrugged. "I'll categorize them based on who's gonna call me what. I'm already used to Clare, and I'm pretty good with remembering names anyways."

"Alright… Well that might get a little complicated later, you know when we get to explanations about what they all mean you might confuse yourself."

"Nah I won't, Like I said I'm good with stuff like this… Sion right?"

She gave a lighthearted chuckle this time, shaking her head. "They really didn't tell you anything did they?"

I shook my head. "No. I don't even know where I am even!" I deadpanned.

"Well first off, I go by the name my adopted father gave me, Aurora, Aurora Sionvalusian Titan, but you can just call me Aurora." She declared, doing some weird bow and extending a paw to me I just look at her funny, not sure if my paw could even be used to shake, she seemed to notice and pull back. "Apologies, human habit. Also humans can't seem to pronounce my Titan name, so it's just easier to go by something they can oscillate. Second: You're standing on the ground of our home world Valunma. It's… quite a bit different than it was trillions of years ago when Titans reigned supreme."

"Oh…"

"Yes. The local wildlife has evolved without anything to keep them in check, and that's why you have to be careful when you're here. You never know what can actually kill you. That's why you need to be aware of your surroundings when wandering!"

I plopped down on my ass and… tried to raise an eyebrow at her, but I couldn't, because I didn't have one. "Yeah… I kind of got that when a giant leech thing jumped out of the water and tried to eat me!"

"The Lake Guardians are very territorial, and they're the largest threat to Titans that are small enough to fit in their mouth, or that are ignorant or stupid enough to try drinking the lake water! Do not drink out of any lake that you see the white flowers in!"

"Ok first off: Don't call me stupid! Second: I'm only ignorant because they literally didn't tell me anything about what I was going to be doing when I woke up! They didn't even tell me that you were going to be here! For all I knew I was on my own!" I turned away with a moody huff, feeling like an idiot, when logically I knew I wasn't… maybe…

A sigh sounded off from behind her before a pressure landed on my shoulder, feeling distinctly like her paw. "Look, I'm sorry, that came out horribly wrong, it's just... I'm currently under a lot of stress right now as it is, and suddenly you're pretty much flung at me without warning, then you almost get yourself killed whilst I was out trying to find food for the both of us and... I'm sorry if what I said offended you, I just... I get aggravated when things like this happen... which unfortunately seems to be quite a common occurrence for me... and now, I apparently have to teach you how to be a Titan, solely, not something I've ever had to do before..." She cut herself off with a sharp yelp which had my head swinging round to see this weird metal thing which sat at the base of her wings tighten.

"Aurora! I'm right here!" A voice snapped from out of nowhere, sounding distinctly aged, and currently, pissed.

Aurora winced, ducking her head before turning to the metal thing. "Sorry mum! I forget you're there sometimes!"

Wait, that metal thing is her mom? I thought she was the crazy bitch who wiped everyone out?

"Hey wait… I thought that crazy bitch mother of yours… Gia or whatever… was dead. I'm assuming… that's um, adoptive mom up there or something? I can't really tell what she is at the moment…" I rambled on… like an idiot… Well I was kind of bad at introductions… I almost got killed by Sunny when we first met… And just thinking about him kind of made me depressed… But then again Zyriun said that I'd be able to go back one day so… I just had to keep thinking of that to keep myself from being depressed.

The light blue armor like piece of plating shifted, breaking apart as bird like wings shifted up onto lightly armored shoulders, as the top part of her form took on the shape of a helm, and bird like metal feet extended out of her bottom once she was semi upright.

I blinked up at the human sized Cybertronian… chicken? Wait… I wasn't sure what it was, but it was a biped… "Hey… you have a… is that a chicken on your back?"

"CHICKEN?!" The little bird-like femme screeched at a deafening decibel, and then she lunged at me like a bullet.

I stood there gauging whether something so small could hurt me when she literally was the equivalent size to a speck of dust on me, but maybe it wasn't a good idea to see how her attempt went… Luckily Aurora quickly grabbed her by a collar like appendage that came around the back of her neck, by her maw, her front teeth the only things holding her there, showing off the mismatched teeth shapes within her jaw, some conical, others looking more like sharks teeth.

"Mum please! Don't try to kill her when we're meant to be looking after her! It kind of defeats the whole purpose!" She exclaimed, although it was slightly muffled by the fact she was currently having to hold the bird femme within her teeth.

"I don't care if she's the daughter of the fucking Pope! She called me a chicken!" Mum bird screeched as she wildly flailed her limbs in an attempt to attack me.

I blinked… "Um… so you're not a chicken then…"

She glared at me. "NO!"

"Could you please take it back so she doesn't break my teeth out?!" Aurora pleaded as she tightened her grip on the still thrashing bird femme.

"Ok… Sorry for calling you a chicken… that's just the first thing my mind came up with when you transformed. But I don't really know what you are so can I call you bird mom?"

"I'm a Harpagornis!" She growled. "But you can call me Harp!" She huffed, crossing her arms over her front.

"Ok Harp." I stepped closer and leaned down to examine her a bit more closely. "Why were you up on her back like that?" She looked significantly older than the both of us, looking more like she was eighty than the fifty-year-old I'd been imagining her, she certainly took good care of herself.

Harp didn't answer me, but Aurora certainly reacted, her neck pulling back towards her shoulders as the two forelimbs pushed back slightly themselves, as if to block something from sight as she averted her gaze.

Oh no, she's not getting away with that that easy. I ducked my head round her side, startling her slightly as I focused in on the place Harp had been covering before... Oh fuck...

"What... what happened?"

Ro stuttered for a moment before moving her hind legs so that she was facing me again, and hiding the gaping holes in her wings, and the noticeable divot in where her spine should be. "Medieval catapult, at the battle of Agrincourt, six centuries ago, I haven't been able to fly since... effectively making me a cripple…" The last part was at most a whisper as she took another step back, this time her head face me directly, and the ridged plates hid the rest of her head form view.

Oh no, I wasn't having any of this.

Pushing myself up on my hind legs, I grasped onto her side with my front limbs and peered at it more closely. It was definitely nasty looking, but then again Bee had lost both of his legs up to the thighs, and Opi had been ripped in half almost and I'd been able to heal them. Now that I knew that the Allspark was actually created from Titan energy… maybe I could use it to heal more than just Cybertronians?

Aurora whipped around and snapped at me with her jaws. "Get away from there!"

I ignored her defensiveness. "Oh calm down! Just let me see what I can do!"

She snapped at me when I sniffed at the divot in her back, why? I had no idea. "Don't touch that!"

I had to shuffle to keep hold of her when she twisted to try throwing me off, digging my claws in to keep myself from falling. "Can you just stop for a second?!"

She started bucking and kicking her back legs, her claws resulting tearing up the ground around us and sending a tree hurtling on a flight path that sent it crashing back to the ground a good mile or so away, screeching at me hysterically. "Get off my back!"

Well for fuck's sake! I couldn't help her if she kept throwing herself around like this! Dammit! She was acting like a pissed off bull! How did I get her to stop?!

I didn't actually have to think on how for long, because my eyes drifted and landed on her long neck, and my jaws instinctively locked around the upper half of her neck. As soon as my teeth sunk into her neck her body locked up, before quickly crumpling to the ground in an awkward heap with her legs spread out all around her. I could still hear her frantic panting, as her side quickly rose and fell in succession, heat practically pouring out of her large body in waves.

If I could've, I would've told her to relax, but somehow I knew that if I loosened my grip at all she'd take a snap at me and I really didn't feel like getting bitten today. So I held tight to her neck and maneuverer my right… paw… up over the divot in her spine, then I tapped into the well of power that I'd learned to recognize as a tangible force within me from the many times I'd used my healing abilities to tend to the twins when they got especially rough with their sparring.

This time the swell of energy that came to my beck and call was much stronger, like a damn breaking, filling me with more power than I ever thought I had! It literally filled me to the brim, causing the surface of my scales to start glowing a soft gold.

I marvelled at the sight of it for a moment, before I remembered my uh… cousin that I currently had pinned to the ground, for all intents and purposes, was having a bit of a panic attack. I quickly moved my paw over the divot in her spine and allowed the energy to flow into it unhindered. It culminated in a small bubble over both my paw and the afflicted area.

I could see the muscles tense there, before relaxing. I had to turn my head to the right slightly so that my left eye could take a better look at what I was doing, seeing as I only realized now, that my eyes were on the sides of my head, like hers, I hadn't even noticed. I focused back on what I was doing just as I pulled my paw back, somehow knowing I'd done what was necessary, and carefully took my jaws away from her neck.

She went to lunge, but her legs weren't able to get into the right position in time, and she went tumbling back to the ground, Harp rushing to her side and clambering up her neck to rush to her wing bases. They looked relatively the same as they had before, but I could tell the muscle structure was certainly better off, the holes were still there, as was the divot, but the overall increased strength I'd given the limbs and surrounding area I hoped would be enough for her to get back in the air.

I was actually really proud of myself!

Or at least I was until Aurora got her legs under her and snapped at my throat. I jerked back and my wings flared high as I instinctively released a warning hiss. "Hey! Is that how you say thanks to someone who heals your injury?!"

She flared her wings back and practically screeched at me point blank., her entire body shaking as the large mass of feathers on the back of her head, behind her own cluster of horns flared wide. "It's been healed for centuries! I'm still crippled!"

Ok so she didn't seem to notice that she was moving her wings on her own right now… "Seems like you're moving them just fine on your own now." I pointed out as calmly as I could when instincts I'd never had before were warring with each other within me.

Her neck snapped to the side, smacking into her ribcage with enough force to almost knock her off her feet. She scrambled to keep herself upright, but her legs got tangled up and she fell to the ground with an audio shaking bang.

Something told me not to get too close right now… Oh well, I'd let her figure it out for herself. I helped her once and she tried biting me! That didn't seem like very grateful behavior!

So I plopped down on my ass and watched her untangle her limbs from one another, then she rolled onto her belly and pushed herself to her… paws again. This time she was able to steady herself and twine her long neck back around her body so that she could examine the newly… internally healed wound?

"Wha…? Mum what did she do? What did she do to me?!" She exclaimed in a panic not sure what to make of what she was seeing as her right wing flared out and in again a few times in front of her.

Harp looked up from where she'd perched herself between the base of Aurora's wings, examining the muscles pulsating around, and beneath the divot where she'd been struck. "She… she… healed your wings." She mumbled in shock.

There was a brief moment where Aurora's wings shot up, and she seemed to freeze completely, stuck staring at her fluttering appendages with the bright blue eyes on the sides of her head.

Then all of a sudden her legs tensed, and in a move so fast it was practically a blur, she shot off and practically vaulted over the side of the gorge with a delighted squeal that for all intents and purposes I would never have expected to hear from someone who seemed to carry herself with so much dignity. But she did, she threw herself over the edge and then shot up into the air with an excited yell that echoed off the walls of the chasm she'd come shooting out of a second ago, the speed of her movement making her a blue blur as she rocketed straight up, letting off an elated howl as she then proceeded to corkscrew through the air, into a loop de loop and into a spiral dive before tearing directly over the tree line, the force of her passing over uprooting most of it, holy frag… would I be able to move like that?!

Harp flitted over and landed on the rigid plating that rested above my right eye, and I could see her aged blue eyes staring at Aurora fondly as she flew around in a circle high above, still periodically yelling joyfully every few seconds. "It's been six hundred years since I last saw her fly."

"Why so long?" I asked curiously.

She glanced down at me. "Well, you Titans heal very slowly compared to most life forms. They may be immortal but that is a grave flaw in the design of their bodies. Only those that are naturally gifted in healing, such as nature elements, can heal themselves and others more quickly. But I've seen Liara use abilities similar to what you just did for her, but it wasn't quite the same, weaker. Then again she is dead, so her abilities are a lot more limited than yours are." She answered, before turning back to watch Aurora in her near crazed flight.

"You've met Granny?"

She nodded, glancing back up at Aurora as she dipped towards the ground and then twisted once she was close to the ground, then spiralled back up into the air with an elated cry of pure happiness. "Liara visits us frequently. She was the one that gave Aurora most of her formal training in her abilities. But her time is heavily limited due to her, as I've already stated, being no longer among the living."

Huh… well maybe that meant that I'd get to meet Granny soon too. I wonder what she was like…? "Is Granny… nice?"

Harp's soft laughter vibrated between my horns, which apparently were similar to audio horns in how they took in and processed sound. I'd just realized it actually… "She's very kind, but she can be stern and serious when she needs to be. She does have a very intimidating presence though, but I suppose that comes with being the Shadow Queen. I'm sure that she'll come to see you soon enough."

I shuffled my claws across the ground nervously at the thought of it. Maybe it was irrational… but I was afraid that when I met her I wouldn't measure up to her expectations at all. How could I when I didn't really know the first thing about being a Titan?

What if she was disappointed with me?

I didn't even… know how to be a Titan…

My thoughts were suddenly cut off when something slammed into the ground in front of me, with enough force to split the dull red ground we were standing on, which turned out to be some kind of stone that was split and formed a crater around it. If I was smaller it was entirely possible that I could've been crushed between the crevices where the rocks broke apart and shifted back together. I was thankful that I wasn't tiny anymore.

It kicked up a veil of thick red dust that got into my eyes and forced me to slam them shut as they started watering from irritation. Maybe that was why I didn't see the blue blur shooting towards me until Aurora slammed into me and bowled me over onto my back.

I laid there like a puppy that had been pinned, with my legs curled up against my belly at an awkward angle, staring at the slightly larger form towering over me with a gigantic grin on her face. "Um…"

She suddenly glomped me, which was more consistent with her just belly flopping on me in some strange form of an embrace which should probably feel awkward for me… but I was used to Aunt Judy so it really wasn't that bad. That and… it didn't seem like our bodies allowed us to hug each other very easily… So wait… was this an actual hug? Or…?

Maybe after she was done crushing me I would ask her, when I could breathe…

"Can… you... get…off… me…?" I wheezed out when I started to go lightheaded from oxygen deprivation.

"Aurora you're crushing her." Harp called out from where she was perched on a tree nearby, having gotten away from Aurora in time.

The blue female's head popped up from where it was buried against my throat, bright blue eyes staring down at me widely. "Oh sorry! I kind of… got ahead of myself there for a moment!" She declared, pushing back up onto all fours and awkwardly stepping off from out of me, her left right paw brushing my snout because she couldn't get it high enough up in time.

I carefully rolled over onto my belly after she pulled herself off of me. "I noticed…"

She came around my left side as I pushed myself up from the ground with a shake of my head. "You ok?"

"I'm fine. Just a little winded, hungry, and thirsty…"

"Ah… I apologise for that I'm kind of used to just being tackled to the ground and hugged to the point that I can't breathe, my family is big on things like that." She explained sheepishly, tail flicking out, and the three pointed scythe like tip catching the bright light shining down from a cluster of what looked to be twelve or so moons up above us. Before I could ask she gestured towards Harp, who flitted down from her perch and landed on one of the long, twisting gray horns on top of her head, each decorated in a dark blue winding stripe. "Well I brought a bunch of food back to the cave… and then I dropped it all on the ground and took off like a bat out hell when I realized you were not there."

I smiled sheepishly at her stern look. "I didn't know anybody else was here with me! I didn't even know where I was!"

She shook her head and turned back towards the gorge where we'd jumped to escape the Lake Guardian or whatever it was… There was a path of pure destruction where trees had been broken in half, or uprooted in our haste to get away from it, but that thing was long gone now. "Well it was probably a good thing that you didn't actually get in the water… In that case you'd be dead… and I'd have to explain to your Father and Grandmother, why I failed so badly at this that you got eaten by a Lake Guardian…"

Call me crazy but I think I saw her shudder fearfully right there…

A loud rumble emanated from my stomach… or chest… wait was my chest rumbling with hunger? What?!

"Looks like we need to get some food into your furnace."

"A furnace?!"

"I'll explain while we eat." With that she turned and led me back towards the gorge.

Wait… I couldn't fly over that! "How am I supposed to get over that? I don't know how to fly!"

"Get a good amount of momentum going, then jump with all four legs, not just two this time!" She called without looking back.

I sighed… "Oh shit…"

* * *

A little while later found us sitting around an empty fire pit nestled deep within the cave we were taking refuge in. We were curled up on either side of it, eating some kind of giant lizard that was big enough to feed both of us. It must've been a third of our size roughly, and looked more like a combination of some kind of crocodile, mixed with a monitor of some kind maybe.

It actually tasted kinda like chicken… So pretty good! I was tearing into it and swallowing big mouthfuls of it easily, no longer being surprised when I felt something spinning around inside my throat, which were apparently multiple different sets of blades that were used to rotate and break everything I ate down into much more manageable bits. So I could take a massive bite out of my food, and the blades would shred it down to goop and I could swallow it easily. Aurora had explained that to me right away when we sat down to eat. And the furnace thing? Turns out I have a mini sun in me! Which fuels the Titan equivalent of a Spark, a weird, unique to me crystal, Aurora had one two, and apparently the mini sun had its own gravity! And that gravity acted as a waiting line or something for everything we ate, so it would just rotate around my 'essence' until it needed something, and would take it from the gravity rings, running out of stuff in them, meant you effectively starved.

So far she'd been silent while she ate her own food, and I was so busy stuffing my face that I didn't think to pay her any attention until I was good and full. When I looked up at her the light from the moons was casting an silvery glow across the light blue scales that made up her right side, making them look somewhat like the colors of the sky when the moon would set on earth, with the sun just rising on the horizon and bathing her in an ethereal glow. It made me miss home… or was it really even my home to begin with?

I shook the depressing thought off, which was easy enough to do when I noticed she was staring at me, or more specifically my chest. "What are you staring at?"

Her light blue eyes briefly slid up to my face, then they drifted back down. "You haven't noticed the scars have you?"

"Scars…?" I craned my neck to an angle that allowed me to see the area she was so transfixed on, and when my eyes landed on a large nasty looking scar that covered the expanse of my chest, I nearly jolted from the sight of it. I just barely managed not to.

It was deep… and it looked like it was a puncture wound of some sort… But I had no idea how it got there, or where it was from. Wait… she said scars… plural, as in not one…

"That was the first time I noticed that…" I murmured quietly. "I wonder how that got there… I have more than one?"

She nodded. "You have claw marks on your right side, and they dip down onto your underbelly. There are also some more gashes on your flanks and upper neck. But you can't possibly see the ones on your neck because you can't crane it enough to see them. Your neck is long enough that you can see the ones on your flanks and side though."

I shuffled a bit, rolling and craning my neck back over my side after a bit of fumbling to get past the sharp armor on my shoulders. And lone and behold… there was a multitude of deep gashes lining my right flank, then a large set of three claw marks that trailed up from there, over my side, then dipped down to rake across my underbelly like someone had literally tried to gut me alive or something…

What… had caused these? I… I couldn't remember… I couldn't remember anything about being in this body…!

"Wha-what…?! Where did these come from?" I stammered shakily, instinctively looking to the light blue female across from me.

She looked up from the gruesome scars littering my body a look of empathy in her visible eye as she turned to her own form, which in the cluster of moons glow, revealed the many, many scars which littered her own from, some jagged, others clean cut, her claws where especially chipped, yet still bore a sharpness I never wanted to find myself on the receiving end of. "Well… it looks like you were mauled by another Titan, or possibly a predacon. There's no way to say for certain since you can't remember, and I literally know nothing of your back story. That cousin of mine had Auntie just pick me up and toss me through a portal with little warning, all I really knew was your name and that you're my cousin… That's all I've ever known about you… I've hardly been alive as long as you have, that's for certain…"

So she didn't know anything more about me than I did really… That made me deflate a little bit… "Oh…"

She nodded, looking towards the cave's entrance. "Again… thank you."

I jolted slightly. "For what?"

She glanced back at me, her visible eye drifted to me. Her wings fluttered, and I caught on. "You gave me back my flight, early."

"Early? I thought you said you wouldn't get back in the air?"

She chuckled, the area which would be her cheeks lightening as her blood rushed there, holy frag, we could blush?! "Not exactly, that was more me not thinking, in a few months my therapy would have been complete, then I would hopefully have enough strength in my wings to at least get a little off the ground… from there it would have been the far from easy task of trying to get by wings back to how they'd been before I was… shot down… this could of taken hundreds of years again… and now, you've sliced that time to nothing, I can fly full speed ahead, break sound barriers, tear across the galaxy… you've made my life so much better, and you don't even realise it. Right mum?"

Harp nodded, rubbing Aurora's wing base, she was still perched in the divot, and I doubted she was going to move from there very often.

Before I could respond, she'd risen to her full height, food discarded, not that there was much left anyway. "I'm going to seal the cave, prevent anything getting whilst we rest." She declared, moving over to the entrance, but not passing the threshold, instead, her eye began to glow, and with an unspoken command, water began pouring down in front of it, at such a rate one would surely be pulverised if they tried to pass.

I just stared at the entrance, now covered by the thick wall of torrential water which had come from nowhere. "How did…?"

"I do that? I am a water element, thus the water, and all liquids of roughly the same features, are mine to control, has been since I obtained it all that time ago… when you were at the lake, the tendrils reached out for you? Did they make contact?" Why was she asking that all of a sudden?

"Yes, somehow got inside me too… it was weird." I answered; it was really dark in here now, the cluster of moons' glow only dimly illuminating us now.

She seemed to sense this, as not a moment later, a torrent of blue fire left her maw, striking the ground which she'd pushed a bunch of rocks to earlier, then began glowing, before breaking out into balls of fire which flickered so many different colours I couldn't keep track, rarely turning orange at anywhere but the tips.

"Then you've obtained you element, I'll show you how to use it tomorrow, right now, we must rest. It has been a long day for the both of us. And Ierena, I'm really glad I finally got to meet you. The rest of my family you'll meet some day… but right now, we have to get your ready to return back to your Earth, and your mates."

My head very nearly hit the ceiling. "You mean I really do get to go back?!"

She nodded, warm smile made even warmer by the fire light illuminating her. "I'm not going to hold you prisoner or something like that, you deserve to return to your home, and I will go back to mine once you are fully settled in."

Something about how she said that made me worry, I knew for a fact that I was already warming up to my biological cousin, heck, soon I might end up idolising her! I mean, she knew so much, had lived her whole life a Titan… wait… maybe she hadn't.

"Did you, always know you were a Titan?"

She stared at me for a moment, before nodding, eyes becoming downcast. "When I first hatched… I had no idea what I was, in the first almost Titan year of my life, I was told, I was the only one… the only egg ever found, my circumstances a one in a trillion chance, my egg was petrified, I was barely alive in there, in a coma like state, until, my sire picked me up… then I hatched… it's all a blur, but I'll never forget the pair of surprised blue optics which looked down at me… my daddy, he was so ecstatic, his mentor could barely believe it either… but I was kept a secret… hidden away under Crystal City, in a bunker, then… when the war grew too close, I was sent to the stars… all that time, I believed I was the only one… then I meet Zyirun, she found me, I'd already met Auntie Liara at that point, and had known her for some time. But for the longest of time, I'd believed I was the only one, I still was, Zyirun is in fragments, scattered across the multiverse, hardly a complete Titan… until only a few days ago when I was sent here, and found your body forming, I'd hardly believed you were even real… I'd been the only one for so long… my sister doesn't exactly count, as her becoming a Titan was an accident, and even then, she's still part human… so yes, I always knew I was a Titan, I've never seen myself as anything else species wise… but, to believe I was the only one, that, that was agony…"

I just stared at her, before rising up and walking over to her, then, flopped down onto her side, hoping I could get the message across.

"Yes, I feel you, I know your there, real… really real, and not some dumb hope… again thank you, this time, for making me know that I'm not the only one, now, rest, we have your element to explore tomorrow." She shifted so that her left front leg was draped over me, nudging me to lay down fully, which I did, she followed after, her longer tail and neck curling around me as her wing stretched out over me, making a canopy over me which then became an odd blanket.

I pushed myself further into her side. "Night Aurora… dream well."

She chuckled. "Night Ier."

I drifted off after one last sentence. "Night Aurora, I'm really glad I met you…"

I didn't hear her response.

* * *

**(Aurora's POV)**

I stared over at my slumbering cousin, then back to the fire rocks, the flames dancing in all of their feigned innocence. Such a dangerous yet intoxicating sight.

With a huff, I sprayed the rocks down with some water I had stored in one of my internal pouches, dousing the flames and letting the rocks hiss with steam before falling silent.

The water fall doorway still thundered, but it was a soothing sound to me, one which always brought me comfort.

I looked back at my cousin.

She had no idea what was in store for her, what she was to discover, all our kinds dirty secrets and forgotten history.

Anyone who simply knows we existed, sees us as benevolent god like beings… but none of them lived when we were laid, when our kind ripped itself apart… long before the virus…

It made me wonder if she'd still like me then, after all, I'm hardly innocent, my bloodstained and sword chipped claws are testimony to that, she lived as a human for so long, what would happen when she found out how many lives I'd taken from her closely held race?

I'm hardly better than a con really… what with how many innocent lives I've taken.

A whack to my eye had me jerking to look at Harp. "What?!" I hissed, keeping my voice low so as not to wake Ierena.

She huffed. "You were doubting yourself again, you know that's detrimental to your health." She warned.

I sighed, lowering my head back to the uneven ground. "I can't help it… I have too much blood on my claws to just ignore it…"

"Dearie, you and I both know you never attacked first, you have only ever killed out of self-defence, or when they deserve death, you may of killed, but that does not make you a monster…"

"Just drop it mum, we've been over this."

Harp sighed. "I know, but you can't blame me for trying, you just got your flight back, yet your still depressed."

My head rose back up. "Mum, I'm a murderer, simple as."

"Your also a saviour, look at the good you've done, you're as bad as Emily, you can't seem to remember the good things you've done, only you aren't missing a part of your brain!"

I hissed at her this time, and for a change she backed down.

I knew she wasn't scared of me, she was my imprint, I could not physically or mentally attack her, sure she whacked me, but that never did any damage. With a sigh I moved back down, wanting to just sleep and forget about my stresses for a few hours. "Night mum."

"Goodnight Ro, don't worry, I'll be with you every step of the way on this."

"Just like you always have..."

"Yes, just like how I always have, and always will."

Slumber claimed me not long after we fell silent.

I just hoped this would all get worked out eventually… somehow.

* * *

R&amp;R! Thank you to everyone who reviewed on the last chapter!


	37. Chapter 37

Sorry for the late update guys! I had some serious writer's block for this story and I wasn't sure how people were feeling about the last update because of the lack of feedback on it. Well I decided to update anyways! Please let me know what you think of this one! Anyways lots of stuff going on in this chapter, explanations, first stages of training, etc… Anyways… I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

**(Ierena's POV) **

The first thing I was aware of when I started coming to, was that my legs were tangled up with something else, but I was too busy dozing in and out for an undetermined amount of time, to try figuring out what they were wrapped around. Something warm was pressed against my side as well, looks like Sides wanted to cuddle again…

I did some kind of lazy tangled flop to get onto my side, so that I could wrap my arms around him and snuggle him. I squirmed to get closer, purring much more deeply than I could ever remember doing before. Weird…

"You're hugging me…" A sleepy, female voice mumbled at me tiredly.

My optics… eyes popped open and my vision was instantly assaulted by bright blue… Wait blue…? Sides and Sunny were not blue! And they definitely didn't sound feminine when they were speaking… or British!

"Aurora…?" I guessed, beginning to remember all the crazy stuff which had been happening.

"Yes?" She mumbled tiredly.

"We're… stuck in a very awkward situation right now, aren't we?"

"Yes, yes we are."

"Fuck… What should we do?"

She started squirming to get out from where I had her pinned under my legs. "Get ourselves untangled before Harp comes back! Or before Aunt Liara pops in unannounced and sees this! Because she has done that quite a few times and it scares the hell out of me every time." She hissed out.

"I can't move! You're lying on top of me!" I shoved at her to try getting her off of my left legs, which she was laying on.

"You're on top of me!" She snapped back, doing a weird laying down buck to try getting my right legs off her back. It wasn't really working that well because my claws were stuck in her hide, and with her squirming I couldn't get them out of the ridges in her armor.

"I can't let go because my claws are stuck and you won't stop moving! So stop moving already!"

She let out a huff of aggravation. "Ok, I'm cheating. Brace yourself."

"Wha…?" I didn't even have time to finish the question, before she was shrinking, twisting, turning, and turning into a… polar bear?

She let off a bellow, bolting away at a speed far above what the white killers of the North Pole should move at, getting out of the way of my form as I crashed down onto my belly, sending a shockwave through the ground which flung her up into the air, where she transformed again back into her original form, landing gracefully and giving me a potentially smug look. Her own neck almost horizontal because of how little headroom she had due to the length of her legs. "See? Now we're untangled. Now then, let's get on with today."

I laid there on my belly, scowling up at her irritably. "Ya know it was cool when crazy Grand Aunt Zyriun shapeshifted into a cat, but you could've given me a warning about what you were going to do you know? It would've been kinda nice, because then I might've been able to catch myself instead of falling!"

She just shrugged. "I didn't think of it."

Using my claws to grip at the ground, I dug in and pulled myself up from the cave floor, carefully so as not to hit my head on the ceiling again. I stretched to ease the kinks in my spine and neck from laying curled up for so long, before standing and shaking to limber up a bit. "So where did Harp go?"

"She probably went out for a flight. For the last six hundred years she's been stuck on my back so she hasn't been able to have any freedom really. She's probably taking full advantage for the moment." She said, shrugging slightly, her wings fluttering in the process, her eyes drifted to them, the awe in those blue orbs evident.

"Ah… so… how long have you two known each other anyways?" I asked as we ambled out of the cave and into the still dark world outside… Ok what was up with that? "Where's the sun? It's still dark out here."

"I've known Harp since just after I turned one, she was the first thing I ever saw and interacted with after arriving in New Zealand, and the star? It died out eons ago, this planet is now surrounded by a planetary nebula, which Valunma is now the core of. So now there's no day or night here, it's just perpetually night."

"Well why are the moons glowing then?"

"Oh, they're bio-luminescent. Before the Extinction there were fire elements that could just make new stars, but as you're aware, none of them survived the extinction, so the star died out, so the moons that were once made just as a pretty commodity are the only source of light left."

"So we're stuck in perpetual night then?"

"Pretty much, but when the moons are out of view that's when it's completely dark. That's when the night creatures come out, so far you've only seen the day creatures."

"I think I'll take any creature over that lake monster."

"The Lake Guardians are territorial, just avoid the lakes with the flowers as I've said, and you should be fine." We continued walking in silence for a bit, until Harp suddenly shot down from overhead and landed on top of one of her horns gracefully. She didn't seem to give any outward reaction to her presence right away, other than the thick gray horns bristling a bit, before she acknowledged her as we drew closer to a thick forest area... where the trees had bark that looked like pink flesh, and leaves that were blood red, adding to the sinister aura of the area. "How was your flight mum? The winds were in your favor I hope."

"It was nice, the currents were pleasant, nothing of major concern happened."

"That's good."

I watched the two conversing quietly with my right eye, which I was still getting used to with the placement. When I walked I had to swing my neck back and forth to be able to see in front of me, or tilt it at an angle so that at least one eye could see what was ahead. So far I hadn't asked why they were like that, but if I did I was sure she'd explain it. She was definitely older and more versed in all this than I was, but that was a given considering my Daddy had sent me here with her. If he didn't trust her judgment, I doubt he would've put me here with her if he didn't trust her abilities to help me.

It actually raised a few questions, like how old she was, how old I was, and how we aged in general. I knew that bots aged really slow, being metal kind of… stunted the growth and made it abnormally slow. Were Titans the same way?

"Hey how old are you anyways? You act like you're in your twenties or something." I asked, not really thinking better of it.

Aurora's head whipped to the side, nearly smacking into a tree that we'd broken apart to walk around on either side, eyes wide with shock and surprise. "What?!"

Harp chuckled from her perch on the thickest of Aurora's horns. "She does act more mature than her age would dictate. Don't you Ro?"

I glanced up at her. "Yeah. That's kinda why I asked… well that and I have no idea how the Titan aging system works."

Aurora sighed. "Ok Ierena let me give you a basic rundown of the aging system ok? Titans age a lot slower than humans, but not nearly as slow as Cybertronians ok? One Titan year is the equivalent of two hundred and forty-nine human years, so a Titan who has lived for that amount of time is the same as a one-year old human baby age-wise. So for me, I'm actually almost eighteen in Titan terms, but I've actually been alive for almost four thousand, four hundred, and eighty-two years. When a Titan has been alive for thirty of our years, so seven thousand, four hundred, and seventy years, they become immortal, so they stop aging but they continue to grow. Once a Titan reaches sixty in our years, so fourteen thousand, nine hundred, and forty years, they stop growing, but at that point they're easily bigger than any planet."

"So… we're immortal at the age of thirty but we can still be killed?" Sounds interesting.

"Yes. True immortality is something that doesn't truly exist. Not even a Titan is impervious to death." She explained as we pushed through a less dense patch of trees, and into an open area with a large lake, thankfully one that didn't have the flowers. "I'll have to explain the growth rates later, as they are more complicated and can take a bit to wrap your head around."

"Should I even ask…?"

"It's something that we need to go through later, I've tried explaining it to humans countless times and they can never seem to comprehend it. I always end up banging my head through a wall because of the sheer irritation of their stupidity. They never seem to be able to get their head around the concept… or it could just be how I tried to explain it to them."

I felt my crown puff up in indignation. "Hey! The first people that raised me were humans!"

"No the first people that raised you was your Father, and the original Thirteen Primes." She responded, giving me an almost challenging look.

"I don't remember any of that! How do you know about it anyways?"

Her expression darkened into one of sadness… oh scrap, did I cross some line? "Auntie has shown me visions of the past, specifically things that pertain to the Extinction. She's shown me little snippets about you, admittedly not as much as she probably wanted to because of the limited time she has to visit, but I have seen some. Whereas you know nothing about me, or my family, or even the extinction, besides what Praxi and Zyriun told you, which in my opinion is very little given your reactions so far."

Well that was true… they hadn't really told me anything really… Damn! Wait I had a great idea! "Let's play twenty questions!"

She slanted a wary look in my direction. "Twenty questions? Is this similar to the questionnaire where people asked me questions about my abilities so that they could better use me as a weapon?" There was an underlying growl in her voice, and the look in her eyes, it turned… murderous… for a moment there, seeming to think back on what she was talking about.

I tried to ignore it and rolled my eyes at her. "Why would I need to do that?"

"Well humans have done that to me many times before." She responded, composing herself again, straightening, wings held closer to her sides, neck craning further up and flattening the 's' of it.

The way she said that made me think that she didn't have much faith in them as a species. "You don't like humans much do you?"

"I've been hounded, and treated like an object by more than those I have had a decent conversation with, well on the surface at least. I grew up around human warlords that wanted to use my abilities to reap havoc on Earth for their own selfish gain. Luckily it's different down in the caverns and the humans there have decency and good morals, I can actually talk to them and trust them not to senselessly fight and maim each other. It was a very complicated process, but I'm glad that it turned out to be worthwhile."

"What turned out to be worthwhile?"

"The Creation of the Caverns. It started with the City of Atlantis, an island city in the Mediterranean, and then it spread out from there when other civilizations needed help in getting away from things. We took them in and took them down to the caverns, and now we have a thriving population down there. It's got a population of about sixteen million, almost seventeen million so far, and it's the most advanced place on Earth. We already have mechanical animals that act as couriers, we got the basis for the designs from Cybertronians."

We made our way down a shallow incline to the edge of the crystal clear lake, where some other creatures were milling about near the edges. I stopped at the edge and leaned down to take a few large gulps of the surprisingly crisp and clean water, while Aurora padded into the shallows of the lake. I watched her plodding around through the water for some reason, then she let off a high pitched whistle that sent a cloud of blue tinted smoke through her nostrils.

Harp seemed to understand it, because she raised her wings and jumped up off of the horn she was perched on and flew up to land on one of mine instead. No less than a second after she did that, Aurora dove under the surface of the water and disappeared from sight.

I lifted my head and licked my lips, eyeing the spot that she disappeared, but decided not to go in after her. I did not know how to swim in this form, and something told me that Harp couldn't go down there and I didn't feel comfortable leaving her perched in a tree somewhere so I could frolic and play. There were plenty of things bigger than her, and I was worried she might get eaten.

My chest rumbled reminding me that I was hungry still… but I didn't exactly know how to hunt in this form yet… so what the hell was I supposed to do now? Plod around and wait for her to come back? I sighed and turned to walk down the bank of the lake, with Harp just hitching a ride on my head.

"So… you have mates waiting for you back at home?" She asked after a few minutes of me quietly plodding along the lakes' edge.

Her question had me wondering what the twins would think when I returned and I wasn't even Cybertronian anymore… Would they still want to go through with the mating when they found out I was organic? "Intended mates… we haven't bonded yet." I mumbled apprehensively.

"Hmm… I remember when I had a mate, and we had a few clutches of hatchlings of our own… They grew up so fast, Aurora was kind of like a breath of fresh air in that regard after I took her in as my hatchling. She aged so slow compared to my other hatchlings, and I've cherished every moment I've had with her and her siblings. I just wish that her innocence could've lasted longer."

There was a distinct tone of overwhelming sorrow in her voice when she spoke. "What happened?"

"She saw something when she was younger that she was never able to recover from. I wasn't there for her at the time, I'd gone off to get her a gift for her birthday from this merchant. She'd seen something on his cart that she liked so I thought I could get it for her as a gift. At the time she was still new to Earth and I thought that having some physical objects made by the humans might help her connect better with them. But when I got back to the place I'd left her she was hiding, shaking, inconsolable, wide blue eyes glossy and fearful, she screamed... the moment I touched her, she screamed like something was trying to drag her into a monstrous void... she wept, her tears not ceasing as she continued to blame herself... I didn't leave her side for days... I couldn't do anything without scaring her further, when she finally calmed down enough to tell me, the Nile had already turned red with blood, from the slit necks of children... I never saw what happened myself... but the trauma she went through... I could not even begin to imagine..." She looked out to the lake. "And it kills me to say it... but it wasn't the only time... it was just as bad when her father's crystal was stolen from her, the link she'd had with him broken from the loss of physical contact... That was what had gotten her through the first one... his touch, even from all those trillions of miles away, he was able to help her enough... But after that... it took the creation of her siblings, to give her enough emotional support to get her through all the times afterwards... so... so many times, even before she lost it, she lost truly good human friends, to those who wanted to use her as a weapon. Ro may hide it... but she has a deeply set hatred for corrupted humans... but the good in them, is what allows her to forgive each new generation... Ancients above… it's gotten her nearly killed so many times I want to… do something! But I can't… I'm just an old bird she found, picked up, and turned into Cybertronian version."

She sounded so aged, so tired and worn out, and filled with endless sorrow. There was real, genuine, sorrow when she spoke of what Aurora had been through, just like a good mother would feel when her daughter was changed so much by the ugliness of humanity. "Humans made her like this? So... high strung?" I asked, not in disbelief because I knew how humans could be having grown up with them, but in concern for her.

"Unfortunately, if it was only her family influencing her, she'd be a far more free-spirited female, that is the way of Water elements. They flow with events, absorb any blow they take, rarely returning it, but when they do, when they snap, a tidal wave of the greatest proportion, can't even hold the tiniest flame to them. When she was young, she was free, when the humans got to her, she became tethered... and when she was crippled... she lost all she'd held close. When she flew, the humans could not dictate her, could not hold her in place with deals, tricks, all in the name of winning their conflicts... before, she could just fly away, wait until they all died of age or other consequence, and start again, hoping to teach the new generations a better way, some did, and they opted for Qylatia and its sister caverns, many were banished for changing their ways. As a family we have seen it all, and with your future immortality, so will you, no one remains the same as they were when they first hatched, it is an impossibility as great as a universe remaining for the rest of eternity."

"Humans can be twisted can't they? I only remember my life after ending up with my Aunt and Uncle, so humans were all I knew until I met the Autobots. They can be assholes, but as long as you have someone to care about and live for you can continue going on. I think that's the same for you guys, isn't it? You keep living for each other."

I couldn't see how she reacted to that, but when she spoke, there was nostalgia in her tone. "That is all we live for. Ro has many a time proven she would end an entire continent of humans if they posed a threat her family. Yes, she protects them, but the moment they become a threat to any of her siblings, my other children, she takes up the mantle of something akin to an Elephant Matriarch on the warpath, driven, determined, and possessive of her charges to the point of mass murder. A creature, able to raise the oceans and drown the entire planet. One without thought of consequence as she acts out the ultimate penalty."

That, was deeply unsettling.

"It hasn't happened since what occurred a few centuries ago, when the youngest of our family was purposefully shoved into a tar pit, she was so afraid of igniting it that she couldn't fight it. Ro, and Ignial went ballistic. The others have gone over the edge since then, but that was the most recent for Ro, at least, until more recently when she's been having a few close calls." I can imagine.

"They shoved… who in a tar pit?"

"Rya. She's the youngest and the fire element of the group, so in other words she embodies her element in its' entirety. Fiery, hotheaded, jealous, possessive, and really easy to anger. Your typical angsty teenager."

"She must be fun to deal with."

"Ro just douses her with water whenever she gets too testy. Rya hates that. At least her Uncle is taking most of the brunt these days."

Poor mech… "So why did they push her into a tar pit?"

"They thought that if she ignited it, it could be refined into something more useful. But they didn't take into consideration that she would sink and suffocate, she was in her dinobot form at the time so she was entirely made of metal. If it hadn't been for Ro and Ignial's intervention she would've been dead."

"Intervention… I'm guessing a slaughter happened?" I deadpanned, not feeling the least bit sorry for those people. If they were that stupid, then they deserved what they got.

"If you consider having their spines ripped out by Ro, or their bodies literally fused together by the force of the impending gravity bearing down on them, which is an agonizing way to die I will tell you… a massacre… then yes. I've seen metal, rocks, even diamonds, shattered by the forces Ignial could produce back then."

"They go pop?"

"No… more like they were fused together and they became one ball of flesh, crushed bone, and hair, all twisted together in mid-air. Then Ro finished them off by ripping their spines out from the gaps, along with the rest of their bones, and then they tossed the remains into the tar pit. Think of a shoal of fish, still partially alive, due to only the bases of their spines being ripped out by Ro, then mashed into a bloody pulp with a spiked meat tenderizer, squished into a little ball to push all the blood out from the gaps in the ball, then tossed into the tar pits."

"That sounds nasty." I shuddered.

"Oh it was. Very nasty. I was grinning the entire time… at least until the part that I had to clean all the tar and blood off of Ro, Rya, and Ignial. The idiot jumped in after her, instead of using his magnetism abilities to pull her out. I swear! He never thought things through before he did it, when he came to her! That's probably why he's no longer with us now… no that is why he's not here with us now. But if he hadn't done what he had, Rya wouldn't be here with us now… That day was fated to take one of the family from us…"

"What happened?"

She sighed, the sound echoing across the mostly quiet clearing. "That's a tale for another time… one I don't like revisiting. Too much went wrong in too little a gap of time."

Guilt made my chest feel heavy, I never liked hurting someone by bringing their past up. "How about I just not bring it up again?"

"That would probably be for the best."

Noted. The best way to prevent myself from thinking on it was to just shut the thought process down and shove it to the back of my pro… mind, and leave it there forever. I wasn't sure that I wanted to know what happened anyways, not that it was even my business.

Luckily for me a distraction came in the form of Ro bursting out of the water like a breaching whale, with a large fish clamped in her jaws. We both watched on as with a ferocious swing of her neck and upper body, she slammed the creature, easily the size of a bus, into a large boulder sticking up out of the water a little way out from the shore, the impact clearly ending the giant fish's life from the impact as it fell limp in her jaws.

"One of her siblings taught her that, when she was in one of her rare better moods." Harp chuckled as Aurora walked back onto the shore, fish held triumphantly in her maw, and that was when I noticed how she was able to hold onto such a huge fish. Her face, had somehow split into four pieces, akin to a snake, only without the flesh which would cover the split bones of the serpents. I couldn't make it all out, but I could tell there were quite a few teeth in her jaw, which one couldn't see from the main jaw alone.

"Can I do that with my face?" I asked, watching as she easily unlatched her jaw from the creature's softer underbelly, allowing it to crash to the sandy ground with a large fleshy 'thump'.

Harp chuckled. "All Titans can. Think of the two-way jaw as an extra appendage which you can use for grabbing, when it's something you're fine with being damaged of course, your teeth aren't exactly made for China plates." She declared with mirth as Aurora turned her head towards us, a triumphant smile on her face.

"Breakfast is served!"

...She wanted me to eat that fish raw?

Aurora seemed to notice my off put opinion on the matter. "Heat causes the meat of this particular species of fish to become toxic, and, eaten in too great a quantity, can cause build up on the essence, similar to a human heart attack if not dealt with." She declared, leaning down again and allowing herself the first bite, ripping away the flesh and chewing it, yellow blood oozing from between the gaps in her teeth.

Harp flew over and landed on the fish's back, digging in right along with Aurora. While I was left standing here, unsure of whether I wanted to eat raw fish that could apparently cause heart attacks if cooked. I never really cared much for fish when I was human… or a pretender… "Um… I'm not sure if I'm gonna eat that."

Aurora looked up from her meal and licked her maw with her azure blue tongue a look of honest confusion on her face. "Why not? Fish is delicious! I mean, I know I prefer Atlantic Cod and Salmon… smoked… mixed with sweet and sour source… with a drizzle of barbeque sauce on the side…" There was legitimate drool forming at the edge of her mouth.

"Aurora, you're food dreaming again." Harp chuckled, snapping Aurora back to focus.

"Right… sorry… got ahead of myself there, why don't you want to eat it?"

"I don't really like fish… especially uncooked fish. It always tasted gross when I was human… or pretending to be human…" I mumbled the last bit a little dejectedly, chest rumbling as a whiff of the putrid rotten smell of the dead fish hit my nostrils. I almost fainted from the stench. Ok, I was definitely not eating that. "It stinks."

She came over and nudged my… flank… to get me to move towards it. "It may smell bad, but I assure you the taste is much, much better than the stench. Just try it." She encouraged me. "If you don't like it we'll find something else. Titans taste things very differently than humans, or Cybertronians, I assure you. The taste receptors on our tongue are linked in such a way to our brains, that even things that are normally inedible to most creatures, can taste like the finest meal. We've evolved this way because we require so much more sustenance than other creatures, so we adapted so that we perceive almost anything as being tasty. I eat boulders, and they taste just like jaw breakers, but I can chomp them to bits without damaging myself in the process. That sustains me just fine when I have nothing else to eat."

I looked at her skeptically. "Rocks? Really? You just eat rocks when you get hungry enough?"

"Yes, they're a great source of minerals."

I sighed, eyeing the fish disdainfully. "Fine… but I won't like this…"

"Just humor me, you'll be surprised."

Que me shuddering in revulsion…

* * *

**(Sides' POV)**

Two months had gone by since Clare had been killed in Egypt, and the base had taken on a somber atmosphere. Jazz no longer smiled or told jokes, and Prowl didn't bother brigging anybot, or snapping at them when they acted up. They were deeply mourning her death, and the light that had sparkled in their optics whenever their adopted sparkling was around, had long since faded and left a never-ending dull and pain filled expression behind.

I couldn't blame them really, Sunny and I were no better than they were. I could hardly find anything worth leaving my room for, and Sunny never left unless he absolutely had to. Even then it was only to refuel, or run patrol when Hide came by and forced us out because we couldn't shirk our duties like we wanted to. The first few times that happened my twin snapped and went crazy, and it took Hide, Hot Rod, and one of the new arrivals Bulkhead, to get him subdued again.

I hadn't seen him like that in millennia, and now he'd even given up on fighting back. Instead he just sat in a corner of the room, in front of the easel that Clare had asked Lennox to get the materials for him to make, and he just stared at the blank canvas he had set up the morning that all this mess had started, with the intent to paint her as a mating gift, all day long. He wouldn't touch it, he didn't acknowledge anybot but me, and even then… he was so forlorn and lost that it made the aching in my spark a thousand times worse.

What could I say to him? Nothing was going to make this gaping hole in our spark any better… The absence of the one being that completed both of us so perfectly, and loved us as much as we loved her… was overwhelming. We missed her so much… and the pain just wasn't fading. If anything it grew more intense with each passing day.

I didn't want to pull pranks anymore, or joke, or laugh, or even force a smile. I'd taken to holing myself up in the room with Sunny, laying on the berth and holding onto Clare's little stuffed bear Patches, the one that I'd won for her at the carnival, and she loved so much. Her scent was still clinging to him so strongly, that it was almost like I was holding onto her and not a little stuffed animal…

But then I'd open my optics, hoping that this was all a bad vid file, and she'd be staring up at me… and my hopes would be dashed, because lifeless, black, beady optics would be staring up at me from an inanimate face. Every time… our spark broke a little more…

I felt like… we were literally dying, slowly and painfully.

And as each day passed, our will to even attempt to fight it diminished more and more…

I think we were at the point where we'd just fade if the Well would take us. We'd just let go and join the Well if it meant we could find her again…

Right now we were both laying in our berth, lacking the desire to get up or do anything as was normal now… I had Patches held firmly in my right servo, and Sunny was laying on his side facing me, with his cheek resting against the little mountain of pillows she had piled up in the middle of the upper part of our berth.

His optics were glassy, and energon was pooling around the edges, periodically trickling down across his olfactory passage in thick rivulets. He cried silently, like he always had whenever something hurt us like this, though nothing ever had before. Not like this…

I wasn't much better… I could feel the warm sting of energon pooling in my optics, and running down my cheeks to drip onto the berth below. But I was more vocal, I always had been the one to sniffle, or sob quietly when I was sparkbroken, and Sunny was the only one around to see… Well before we'd met Clare nobot had ever seen either of us cry, but after she came into our lives she'd been there for us when we had the odd bad vid file of our time as younglings and we woke up crying because of it. She'd wipe the tears away and squeeze her tiny frame in against our throats, letting us recharge with the comfort of her being cradled against us, making sure that we knew where we were, and that the nightmares were in the past.

Now we were living in one, because she wasn't here to stop it… She never would be again…

A sudden knock at the door interrupted the quiet mourning we were doing. I glanced at the door to our quarters as they slid open and Smokescreen walked in, red, white, and blue paint barely discernable through the dimness of our room.

"Are you two gonna keep at this forever?" He asked in an even tone, obviously referring to Clare's death.

I turned away and went back to staring at the ceiling without responding, because he couldn't understand how it felt to lose a femme that you loved. One that you wanted to mate to, and maybe even have a family unit with if it ever became possible again… and you had to accept that she was dead and you couldn't do a fragging thing to stop it!

We couldn't save her!

"Get off the berth slaggers! You're coming with me and you're both gonna vent until you're feeling a little better!"

"Go away Smokey." I mumbled in a voice thick and filled with static.

Something grabbed onto my leg, tightening and yanking until the grip bordered on painful and I shot up and took a swipe at Smokey's helm to get him to let go. He dodged my halfsparked swing and shuffled back a bit. "Are you two just gonna lay there until you offline from lack of energon?"

"If we get to see Clare again then yes." Sunny mumbled dejectedly.

Smokey scoffed, putting his servos on his hips. "You're just gonna lay there like pouting sparklings? Do you think that's gonna make your femme come back? No wonder you couldn't do anything to save her if you're willing to give up this easily!"

Instant, blinding rage went surging through the bond, pulsating and growing stronger as we both tensed with the swell of overwhelming emotion. It had Sunny lunging up off the berth with an enraged snarl, servos lashing out and catching Smokescreen by the arm and twisting him with enough force to toss him into the TV stand.

It buckled from the force, shattering and sending chunks flying across the room to ricochet against the walls, the sounds of them hitting being drowned out by my twin's screaming engine. His anger was like the waves of an acid storm brewing with the intent to disintegrate everything in its' path, steam wafting up off of his frame in thick plumes that superheated the air within astroseconds. "Don't you ever talk about Clare's death like you were there! You never even knew her!" He roared with so much volume that the walls shook, and his vocalizer crackled and almost shorted out.

Smoke pulled himself up with a grunt. "You think I didn't know anything about her?"

I stood beside Sunny as he took stood there, bristling with such rage that it made what he was capable of in the pits look infinitesimal. The insinuation that we'd failed her because we were too weak to stop the events that led to her death, not motivated enough to protect her, hurt like something was shredding our spark from the inside out. "No! You never even knew her!"

"I may not have ever known her in person, but I knew her! Prowl's my younger brother! When he adopted that femme and became her Opiluck, he and Jazz were the happiest that I've ever felt them be for as long as they've been mated! She may not have ever realized it, but Blue and I felt her emotions through our link with Prowl! We saw them all bonding as a family unit, and our sparks were changed by that too! We feel the sorrow that you're all feeling, even if it's not as deeply seeded as what you're all feeling! That doesn't mean that our sparks aren't crying for her death too! But you don't see the rest of us just giving up like you are! Think of her! Would she want you to just give up and let yourselves die because she did? That won't solve anything! And it sure as pit won't do anything to avenge her death now will it?"

A thought flashed between us, from his processor into mine, and just like that something in our sparks shifted gears. "Avenge her death…?" We both whispered so softly that it was barely audible.

Avenge Clare's death…

Rip Megatron's spark out and hold the glowing orb of life up for him to see, before crushing it and watching the light fade from those sick, twisted red optics?

Feel the satisfaction that came with knowing that, by destroying the entirety of his essence he would never live again? He would find no solace or comfort in the Well of Sparks, because there would be no spark left to return to it…

**(He took her from us…)** He started,

**(And now we'll get revenge!)** I finished with a low growl.

He wouldn't be allowed to live after taking her from us! We'd hunt him down and offline him, no matter how much it took!

"I know that look in your optics, I prefer seeing anger over desolation." Smokey commented upon taking in what where probably our murderous looking optics.

"Don't even… I'm still slagged off at you right now mech!" Sunny growled at him dangerously.

He just shrugged. "Be mad at me, as long as you're not giving up I can live with you hating me. Now, I think it's time you two got out of this room and refueled properly… and we can discuss revenge plots if you want… I mean that would be normal compared to Prime's helm… head… sticking in through the hangar doors like an overgrown petro puppy."

"What…?"

"Come on, you'll see when we get there." With that he turned and waited for us to follow after him, then he led us out of our quarters and into the hall, which was filled with equipment that was being prepared for our move from Diego Garcia to a base in Washington DC. It was a sad sight… we didn't want to leave the place where we'd spent time with our intended…

**(I don't want to move to a new base… at least here, I can remember the times we spent with her. I can picture her walking in through our berthroom door, and I can sit in the rec room and imagine she's going to come in and clamber up my leg to get on the table.)** Sunny remarked mournfully, spark pulsating with renewed sorrow. As quickly as the determination to avenge her had come, it has simmered down to a dull hum in the center of our spark, and the familiar pain of loss had come back in full. It was only the simple fact that we had to keep going in order to avenge her death that prevented us from sulking back to our berthroom. We could get back at Megatron for taking her from us! Then maybe… afterwards we could join her in the well with the knowledge that he wouldn't get away with what he'd done to her.

I pressed myself side to side with my twin, silently offering him comfort through the physical contact, and through mustering as much as I could through the bond. He sent a weak pulse back, but it was an effort at least. I wasn't much better anyways.

At that moment we neared the hangar, and we immediately heard the annoying sound of Galloway's voice as he preached about something or other. The much deeper timber of Optimus answered back, sounding more guttural than he previously had as a Cybertronian. Then again… he wasn't exactly Cybertronian anymore… much to Ratchet's irritation since he didn't know the first thing about treating him now...

When we walked into the hangar, Prime's large head was sticking in through the doors up to the two sets of horns that he couldn't squeeze in, that being all he could actually fit in without tearing the hangar apart. The rest of him was strewn out in some haphazard way so that his tail wasn't lying across the air strip. From what we'd gathered, Prime wasn't exactly in the best of moods as of late, due to his inability to be on our level to talk and the like, and his hunger had led to the scrapyard a mile or so from base being completely empty. Well, aside from a few scraps of metal which had fallen out while he was tearing through the decommissioned vehicles there.

He'd even gnawed on one of the unused hangar corners when he was bored! That hangar was no longer standing because he'd grown hungry after tearing it apart, then he proceeded to eat the remains! Maybe that was why Primus took this power away from the Thirteen? Trying to deal with Prime's hunger was hard enough, thirteen must have been a nightmare. There was also the factor to take into consideration that his wounds had barely healed in the slightest, the scrapes, scratches, and discoloration peering through from under the thick plated scales around his chest were only making Prime's mood worse.

We stopped near Ironhide and Ratchet, who were watching the exchange between Prime and Galloway with matching scowls on their faces. "What's he going on about now? Like we don't have enough to deal with right now, an enraged meat sack is the last thing I wanna have anything to do with." Sunny asked in a biting tone that he didn't even try to keep below audio range of any humans present.

"He's slagged off about the situation in Egypt." Hide muttered irritably. "Something about destroying priceless relics of human history… He's holding Optimus responsible, as if he actually did it, or that he'd do it on purpose! Fragging pest…"

"How do you guys deal with this afthole?"

"We try not to Smokey." I grumbled. Galloway was the last thing any of us wanted to deal with right now. Not after…

"YOU DESTROYED THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZA! THOSE PYRAMIDS WERE IMPORTANT MONUMENTS TO THE EGYPTIAN CULTURE! THE EGYPTIAN GOVERNMENT IS BREATHING DOWN MY NECK RIGHT NOW! THEY WANT SOMEONE TO HOLD ACCOUNTABLE!" Galloway all but screamed at the top of his lungs up at Prime.

Optimus just huffed, shifting his head ever so slightly so that he could look the tiny human clearly in one eye, which itself was larger than the man it bared down on, the mix of blues seeming to turn cold. Prime was definitely in a bad mood… "Mr. Galloway, understand that what occurred in Egypt, was not something we were prepared for. This... alteration to my anatomy... was not something any of us planned, and I was being influenced by an outside force during the course of the battle. Those actions were not my own."

"YOU EXPECT ME TO SWAY THE COUNCIL WITH AN EXPLANATION LIKE THAT?! DO YOU REALLY THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BELIEVE THAT YOU WERE INFLUENCED BY AN OUTSIDE FORCE WHEN YOU DESTROYED THE PYRAMIDS OF GIZA?!"

Optimus chuffed, blowing a thick cloud of smoke into Galloway's face and the rest of his body which made the human break out in a coughing fit as soot covered his previously well-kept attire, what with it completely engulfing the man. "You have already told this to me seven times, you repeatedly trying to get under my... scales... is only making me irritated." Now that I was looking close, small flashes where beginning to pepper Prime's head, mostly around his horns... Oh frag, he might just fry our liason if the irritating human didn't get the message soon…

Prowl and Jazz chose to enter the hangar at the same moment that Galloway started screaming about Optimus lacking respect. "What is he going on about?" Prowl asked, though it honestly seemed as if he really didn't care. He had that same dejected look in his icy blue optics that he'd had since Clare had… died…

I swallowed the lump in my throat down, my shared spark feeling like it was having the life squeezed out of it, and nothing we could think of would ever make that pain go away…

Why did she have to die…?

Ratchet took it upon himself to answer, since Sunny and I were too wrapped up in the pain to even give a frag about what was going on. "Galloway, cease this display. Prime is clearly not in the mood to deal with you, and dealing with a... dragon... in your current manner, who is bigger than one of your aircraft carriers, is only going to end badly for you."

Galloway spun on Ratchet with an absolutely livid expression, once pale skin now burning red with ire where it could be seen through the soot at least. "Enough of your back talking you useless pile of scrap! Honestly! I'd thought it would be easier dealing with you machines when that prissy bitch got herself killed! Her metal would have been far more useful to us than she was! But no! You've all just taken her useless place!"

Those words echoed through the hangar, continuously playing through my audios like a sonic boom going off less than a micron from me. That fragging useless little… how dare he say that?!

Sunny was the first to lunge, blades already extended with intent to kill the piece of scrap. Before I could move Jazz lunged next, the smaller mech just as enraged as the rest, as Prime actually roared, head thrashing for a moment as his horns and upper head decimated the part of the hanger where the top of the door was, once there was a big enough gap, his head practically vaulted forward, the spines along his neck ripping through the hangar ceiling and sending debris flying around him, as I too made a move to attack, even Prowl joining the rush to him right after. Ironhide, Smokescreen and Ratchet intervened, trying to hold us all back to no avail, despite the look in their optics showing they wanted to do the same.

The human meat sack was somehow able to bolt, running straight towards the emergency human fire exit. Only he never reached it, instead, he crashed face first into a black smog, the massive cloud having formed and taken up a good quarter of the hanger without any of us being aware of it until now. The human meat sack bounced right off whatever was in there with a solid thud, falling backwards and crashing to the ground, but our own attacks were forgotten at the sight of the murderous, black and white glowing eyes staring at the human, with such a desire to kill... it made mine and Sunny's expressions almost tame.

A dark blue glow pulsated from within the dark mist, illuminating edges of things otherwise hidden, but not enough for any of us to see what it was, the only thing we could tell was, it was big. "I should have your tongue ripped out for saying such a thing!" The voice... oh Primus above... we all recoiled, Galloway pushing himself back with a scream as the demonic, psychotic, feminine and distorted like a broken record, roared at him. A flash revealed rows of serrated and conical teeth, and a deep blue glow was forming behind them, the teeth snapping shut not a hairs breath from the human's pale and horrified face, the smog dissipating just enough to reveal pitch black scales and the front teeth bared in a snarl, the sound similar to a cluster of knifes being struck against one another on their sharp edges.

Whatever she was, her presence was the kind of overwhelming that it made it feel as if gravity was bearing down on you relentlessly, buckling under a weight which made me feel like I just had to kneel down, either out of some fearful respect, or to keep myself from being forced to the ground by the sheer weight on all of us. For that reason, I couldn't move, it felt like I was frozen, and a quick glance around the hangar informed me that that it was the same for everybot else. Every single one of us was staring at her, whatever she was, in an awed kind of fear and respect.

The thick billowing cloud obscuring her from view expanded outwards suddenly, and the sound of something spreading wide filled the air, the smog creeping along the floor spread up as if on command, rushing up the walls and along the ceiling in steadily pulsating waves that arched up and swirled into the air like raging vortexes, filling more than half the now badly damaged hangar, with such force that it whipped up a powerful gust of wind within the hangar. It was strong enough to send Galloway flying into the far wall, the smog began moving, gliding over the hangar towards the human again, the steps of a quadruped sending noticeable shockwaves through the ground, causing our plating to actually rattle as the smog lifted up higher, looking like a neck rearing into the air. "Speak about my granddaughter like that again, and I will be more than happy to drag you down into the underworld with a noose made out of your own skinned hide! You piece of rotten flesh unworthy of even existence itself!" She roared again once she was close enough to the human for the smog to lap at his legs, causing him to scream again as it seemed to start ripping at the clothes he wore, slash marks appearing and leaving red lines on the revealed flesh.

We didn't try to stop her, too frozen by what she had said, her she aura and the little voice in the back of our helms telling us that no matter what we did, there was no way of stopping this thing.

Sunny tensed beside me, wariness being overtaken by confusion and a slow, simmering anger. **(**_**Granddaughter**_**?! Who the **_**frag**_** is that?!)**

I eyed the billowing mass warily, but I understood why Sunny was getting riled up. Here comes this femme, whatever she is, who claimed to be Clare's grandcarrier, yet had never once showed herself before now. She wasn't there for Clare, not through her life, or when she needed her. It was easier for Sunny to deal with pain when he had somebot to blame it on, and he'd pinned the blame on this femme, maybe irrationally, but our spark was overcome with sorrow as it was. There was no room for second thoughts, or even guilt over anything else. **(Her grandcarrier.)** I answered, even though I knew he knew that, though we were both questioning whether it was a true statement or not.

Galloway was frozen in place, too terrified to move, she seemed alright with this, turning to face us… I think, those two glowing orbs where now locked on us, so I assume so.

"You… You're Clare's grandmother?" She nodded, How… Why…?

"Then why were you never there for her?!" Sunny roared, I barely had the sense to stop him from charging, what this thing radiated… it was death incarnate.

She seemed to sigh. "To protect her."

"That's no fragging excuse!"

"Being here, would have done more harm than good."

"HOW?!"

"Because, she was not ready. She wasn't ready in any way, shape, or form."

"SHE'S DEAD!"

"I am fully aware of that."

"Then why didn't you stop it!"

"There was no need, and… there was nothing I could have done… Praxi did all I was unable to. Death, limits you in a lot of things." She turned to Prime. "But… he is a forgetful thing, allow me to aid you there young Prime." Wait… she… she was offline?! But she sounded younger than fragging Ratchet!

Wait… Young? Since when was Prime young?!

He tensed slightly as she drew nearer, but just before she reached him, she groaned, seeming to collapse slightly, the smog compressing closer to the ground. "Curse it… I'm running out of time." Before any of us could react, part of the smog rushed forward, and hit the scales hidden behind Primes horns.

He let of a startled grunt, before something weird happened.

His entire frame rippled, and began… shrinking, we watched in stunned silence once again as his body shifted and took on a form similar to his Cybertronian one, only this time he had his sword tipped tail sticking out of his aft, and wings sitting on his shoulders, along with his two sets of three horns sitting atop his helm. She only pulled away when he crumbled to the floor, now no bigger than a large yacht. He looked like his old self… only if it had somehow fused with that dragon form he'd taken after the Matrix was put into him.

She stepped back, the black smog following. "Our kind have the ability to manipulate our own bodies however they please, an ability Praxi gave you Cybertronians when he created you, to a limited degree that is. Young Prime, do not worry, there will come a time when you will be one with your body and mind once again, patience, and the good natures of those around you, will help. And now, I must leave."

She turned to the rest of us. "All will be explained in due time. But for now, I, am Liara. Until all are one, and all are reunited." Before anyone could react, horrifying screams and moans came from her as she receded into a void which had appeared in the ground, ghostly arms of all sorts of different creatures, one even looking like a Cybertronian protoform, reached out of it, but she seemed to drag them back down with her. "No my wards, your suffering shall never be complete." She cooed at them, like a carrier to her sparkling, but the words made it more like a dark and foreboding promise, purred out of a Cyber cat about to pounce on helpless prey.

Then, the void closed, the sound stopped instantly, and we were left standing there staring.

"Clare's… Grandmother… is Satan?" A human, who had clearly walked in on this and been royally scared out of their mind muttered, before outright fainting.

Prime groaned, pushing off the ground, now able to fit just into the hangar, the two horn rows on his helm clanging against the hangars upper support beams. It looked like he'd gained quite a bit of height too… like… stopping to fit through the corridors big. "Another experience I never wish to repeat. Although that one was nowhere near as painful." Prime grumbled, rubbing the spot on his neck cables which she'd pressed, before taking in his new appearance. "… Praxi… Liara… I fear this is not the end of whatever plans they have for myself… and the rest of us."

This… this was getting way too weird.

Wait… where did that meat sack go?!

Looking around I spotted him, somehow now hanging from one of the torn pieces of metal that Prime had caused in his earlier thrashing, held up by the elastic of his undergarment.

Looks like whoever that femme was, she at least had a semblance of a sense of humor.

Despite being possibly sadistic.

* * *

**(Ierena's POV)**

I swallowed my last bite of… fish… and shuddered as its' yellow blood dripped down my chin. The taste of it wasn't bad actually, kinda like pork, but the texture was disgusting. I was trying not to throw it back up, and so far I was succeeding. If I got a parasite…

Aurora stopped licking the blood off of her paws and cocked her head at me. "You are not going to get any adverse effects from eating raw fish Ierena. I've told you that we don't have any internal organs, outside of our reproductive ones, and our brain. Even if there was a parasite that could get into our bodies, it would be pulled down into our furnaces, which as I've told you, are nothing but compressed balls of fire, and then they would be obliterated by the heat. Our essences are gems, that are surrounded by compressed stars, that's the equivalent, a mere parasite cannot survive that."

"At least I don't have to worry about heart worms…"

"No you don't. Anything you eat would be sliced up by the blades lining your throat, then eviscerated by the heat of your furnace. However, you do need to be careful that you don't get struck in the chest, because the things you eat orbit around within your orbital rings before they enter the furnace entirely and get eviscerated, and they can be knocked loose if you're struck hard enough, and you can effectively, be killed by something you ate as an after-thought months prior, due to you thinking you'd be able to have just that one more bite before you left."

"So we can literally eat ourselves to death?" I asked incredulously.

"Effectively yes. It is something you need to keep an eye on. You could starve yourself before a fight to avoid the problem, but then you wouldn't have anything to sustain you before and during said fight. So eat small meals before conflict."

"What about surprise attacks?"

"Pray that you don't get hit hard enough to have something knocked loose." She responded, placing her elbow joint on the ground so she could rest the middle of her neck on her claws, the rest of her neck leaning closer to examine me again, she was doing that a lot, seeming to want to map out every little purple speckle on my body.

"Wow… really reassuring…" I grumbled sarcastically, really? We can't die from aging, are pretty much indestructible, yet can be killed by a single blow to the chest, because of a slice of pizza we had six months ago?!

"Don't worry, you need to be hit with something… oh, think of being the size of an ant, and getting shot by an armor piercing round from a tank. That kind of force… although I've never been in a conflict which I haven't gotten under control in time… or killed the opposition, so I'm not quite sure exactly how great the force is needed to be to knock something loose."

"You're just trying to make me feel better aren't you? Because that's a really bad comparison… and it's probably not even accurate." I deadpanned, well she kinda said she had no personal idea...

"Mmmm… it wasn't my best attempt." She admitted sheepishly, rubbing the side of her neck with her other paw.

"Clearly." I muttered, as I got up due to my own curiosity, and ambled towards the clear lake so that I could get a good look at myself. The clear surface of the lake was like a mirror, clear enough that I could see my reflection.

My head was like Aurora's, but my snout was more pointed, not shaped like half an axe as hers was. I had horns that looked almost the exact same, but mine were longer and thinner, but they still twisted the same way and were the same color, minus the blue stripes, and the tuft of feathers sticking out from under them were longer and thicker, made up of icy blue and plum purple. I was all black, with little purple speckles which ran along my body in lines, the main seeming to follow the ice blue ridges which ran down my neck, back, and tails growing gradually darker as they went down the length of my body, the underside of my neck, underbelly and tails was the same ice blue, and seemed to glow a pale luminescence due to how the moons were reflecting off the clear water. I had a dusting of purple lining the underside of it on either side, and my eyes were a plum purple, with a black slit in the center, and a light midnight blue lining the outer edges, and a dusting of white flecks, like stars was prominent was prominent all other. Aurora's eyes were a mix of different blues, swirling around a darker blue slit in the center like a whirlpool converging on something. Neither of us seemed to have irises.

I turned so that my entire body was visible, taking in the sight of my two sets of wings, and the two tails that I'd already seen before in the cave. This time I was more focused on what my body looked like as a whole, it actually looked a lot like Saphira from the movie Eragon. Muscled, streamlined, and built for speed just like hers was. I had more of a curve near my abdomen though, and my legs were definitely longer comparatively than hers were.

My tails and wings twitched, moving of their own accord, almost like I didn't even need to think for them to be animate. But when I thought of raising my tails, they immediately responded by curling upwards so that the tips were pointing up at the sky.

I blinked, then tried moving my wings, and they straightened and fluttered when I thought of them doing that. It was like… when I was human, and Cybertronian, and I wanted to move my arms or legs. All I had to do was want to do it, and my extra appendages responded just as easily as my legs did… I just had more appendages to think about moving at any one time now… Huh… Well now that I finally got a good look at myself, I needed a drink to get the slimy texture out of my mouth!

I leaned down and opened my mouth to allow water to gush in, then I suctioned it back and swallowed, and repeated this process a few more times, until I felt like I had enough. I was acutely aware of Harp landing on my head, my horns being sensitive enough to feel the light pressure of her landing and the ticklish sensation of having her talons gripping the boney appendages. Wait… why was she on me?

I didn't get the chance to ask her, because just below the surface of the water, as in inches from my face, the sight of sharp, serrated teeth appeared… I jerked back as the form of a Lake Guardian lunged up from under the surface of the water, teeth spinning like the blades of a blender.

"OH FUCK NO! NOT ONE OF THESE ASSHOLES AGAIN!" I screamed, as a fight or flight reflex was triggered within me, but I knew it was too close for me to get away from. Something pulsated in the center of my chest, like a chilling energy radiating out from it, but it wasn't cold, it was more like something intangible moving through my body. I reared back from the start that both this energy caused, and because of the Lake Guardian closing in on me, rising up onto my hind legs and swinging at it with my right paw. Something unexpected happened when I did this, the energy inside me building up and surging into my paw, and then it literally exploded outward in a torrent of black energy that struck the Lake Guardian in the face and sent it reeling away from us.

And just like that I turned tail and ran as fast as fast as my legs could carry me in the opposite direction, as two loud booms went off behind me. I didn't turn to look at what it was, or even pay any attention to anything around me besides the trees that were rushing passed. I could still clearly see every leaf on them, every divot in the pink, fleshy bark on them. But I kept running, without giving a damn about anything other than not getting eaten.

At least until Harp started yelling from atop my head. "IERENA STOP! STOP!"

"NO WAY! WE'LL GET EATEN IF WE GO BACK!" Oh shit… we left Aurora back there! SHIT!

I screeched to a halt by digging my claws into the ground, but I went skidding forward, tearing up dirt and rock for a few hundred meters, before I finally came to a complete standstill. Only once I was sure I wouldn't knock myself off balance, I turned to go back the way we'd come, but Harp flew down in front of my face before I could take a step.

"Calm down Ierena!"

"Aurora's gonna get eaten by the Lake Guardian! I've gotta go back-!"

"Ro was that Lake Guardian! She was testing you to see what element you were. Evidently the double back up of your father and his mother have proven powerful. You are a shadow element young one, and by the distance you sent your cousin flying with that punch, a powerful one at that."

"Double back up?" I mumbled, before I realized what exactly Harp said about me punching Aurora. That got me back on track, and I lowered my head down so that the aged bird could perch herself up in my horns again, then I took off back in the direction we came.

When we arrived back at the clearing the trees on the other side of the lake were all smashed and overturned, and the force with which Aurora's body had hit the ground with had caused it to rip up dirt and rock as it slid across it, leaving a long trail up to where she was laying on her back a good ways away. She was laying in a lump, with her legs curled up against her belly, and she was twitching periodically.

After a moment she raised her head and groaned. "That… was… not my best… idea…"

I winced and rushed to help her, while mumbling a nervous apology. "Sorry!"

It took me a moment to help her get back on her feet, and once she was steady I stepped back, while she shook her head and raised a paw to rub at her face. "Ow… you hit me harder than Razor or Uri, and Razor hit me with a mountain when I did that to him…"

"Who hit you with a mountain…?"

"My brother Razor. He's an Earth element, and he's thrown mountains at me a few times actually, smaller than the original though."

"Do you mean that he picked a mountain up and threw it at you?"

"Yes."

I blinked at her. "Really?"

"He's a strength class, they kind of… well they're the strongest of the Titan classes in terms of physical strength. Lifting huge masses, such as mountains, is kind of their thing."

"Strength class?"

She cocked her head at me. "Yes. I guess I should explain the classes and social structure to you shouldn't I?"

I felt confused, so I just nodded and we sat down near the edge of the lake, and Harp flitted back over and nestled herself down on Aurora's horns.

"Ok, first I should explain the physical classes, which put much more simply, is just the different body types. Certain Titans are bred for certain things, strengths are bred to have denser muscle mass, thus they are much stronger physically than other classes. Back when Valunma was inhabited by our kind, they were actually the main force of the military because of how thick their armor is, and how strong they are. If you were born a strength class, you were enlisted as soon as you were of age. Chargers are next, and they are pretty strong, but they are also bred for a lesser degree of speed. They were mostly used in the mines, as they could break ore by charging it and bashing it with their thick skulls, then they could transport it as needed. Aerials are physically one of the weaker groups outside of the Rider classes, but they are very maneuverable in the air. They were widely used as air couriers back before the extinction. Next are the speed classes, that's what I am. We were bred for speed as our class name suggests, we possess a light honeycomb bone structure that absorbs impacts very well, and that allows us to remain lightweight so as not to weigh us down, yet prevents us from damaging ourselves at our top speeds were we to fall or crash into something. Speeds were used as transports before the extinction. Next are the stealth class, and as their name suggests they were used as spies and assassins mostly, espionage, and were part of the military in that regard. They're bred for stealth and speed, and they can move without making a single sound when needed. Then there are the Rider class, or better known as support class, these Titans were much smaller than the other classes, easily being able to ride on another Titan's back in battle. They were created by the Nature elements when one of the previous Light Kings, or Queens, requested it, and have insectoid like features. Think of them like… dragons… with butterfly-like features. As their name suggests, they were used to support other Titans in battle from atop their backs. Unlike most Titans, they walked solely on their hind legs, making their forelegs more akin to human arms, use wise. Stealth's had this as well, but were mainly on all fours anyway. Oh can't forget the Aquila's, Uri would have my head if she found out I almost forgot that. Aquila's are… water locked Titans, their hind legs replaced with long powerful tails, they were used for colonizing primarily liquid based planets and harvesting resources unobtainable to the rest of the classes."

Something about the way she spoke of the classes, what they were bred for, what they were used for… didn't seem right. It was almost like… they had to do these things, and weren't given a choice… Like as soon as they were born they were fated to these tasks. "You talk like… being born as one class meant that you had to perform these tasks. Did they even have a choice in the matter?"

Her eyes darkened, and she looked down at the surface of the lake sadly. "No they didn't. If you were born as one class, you were destined to be put into a line of work based on that. The only way out of it was if your element was high enough in the ranking system."

"They really condemned others based on what their element was?" I asked incredulously. The thought downright pissed me off!

She nodded, casting her gaze out to the water we sat beside, not looking at me… "That's how it was for a very long time, even before Titans started recording their history. Lights were at the top of the ranking system, followed by the Mind elements, and Lightning, due to their usefulness at keeping the _**'peace'**_. If you were one of these three elements, you were exempt from being given a station based on your physical classification. These elements were considered noble from the time they obtained their elements, and they could live their lives with comfort and ease if they so choose to. Metal, and Ice are next on the element chain, but they were still bound by their physical class, though they were still highly sought after as mates. Magnetism is next, and is considered the mid-way point, sought after but not as much as those above it, but due to their nature, you'd often find them being used as… used as… for pleasure…" A shiver went down her back, rattling her wings and the feathers behind her horns, Harp mentioned one of her siblings had been a Magnetism… Oh frag! If they'd been there… then... oh scrap I didn't want to think about it! "Water and Nature are just below that, and are considered common elements, but they are still sought after because of their abilities to manipulate the body, or in Nature's case, heal others and alter the inner workings of living things to better suit their needs. Fire is next, and is considered a common element as well, then that is followed by Air, and Earth. The majority of Titans are either Fire, Air, Water, Nature, or Earth. Those are the most common elements, and they were all subjected to life as slaves basically." She trailed off as if thinking of something that bothered her, but whatever it was, she shook her head to dispel the thought and turned to look back at me with eyes that were still dark, but this time in anger…? "And at the very bottom are the Shadows… like you. They are as rare as the Lights, but because of some ancient feud they were tossed to the bottom of the social structure by the Light Monarchy. A shadow was considered the lowest of the low, and was subjected to the most demeaning forms of servitude… or outright killed on the spot if they showed too much resistance to the system. Those laid by higher ranking members, were banished most of the time, like Auntie was."

I tensed as what she was insinuating registered…

I was a shadow… Granny was a shadow… dad was a shadow… if what Harp had said was true…

If… I'd lived during the time before the extinction… who knows what might've happened to me…

I'd have been a slave of the lowest caste…

Anyone like me… would've been forced to endure the same fate… like the rest of my family…

Who the hell did those Lights think they were?!

I growled angrily, the sound unlike anything I'd heard before with how deep and guttural it was, both of my tails thumping against the ground behind me in agitation. "Those fucking assholes…! Who the hell gave them the right to decide how everyone else had to live their lives?!"

She seemed sad, and angry as well, but she didn't lose her composure as I had. "That's how it always was, though it doesn't make it right Ierena. Titans were raised with those beliefs, and going against the Light Ruler would've resulted in the death of whoever was foolish enough to try it, that was the belief and only the bravest fought against it. They ruled with an iron fist, no one opposed them overtly, and if someone did they were publicly executed for it. If someone so much as spoke of sympathizing with a Shadow, they would be killed for it. That's how the system was."

"Well that way of thinking was fucked up! I'd rather die and be proud of who I am, then live my life as a damn slave! At least by speaking out, someone can prove that no matter what someone else does to them, they won't be bound or subjugated completely. Giving up and accepting it is the same as admitting that such a way of thinking is acceptable. It's not and it never will be!"

"I'm fully aware of that Ierena, that is what Hariun did, along with her twin, Zyirun, who you met, they freed Liara, your grandmother, in an act of kindness. Years later, when she came back with an army, Hariun left the royal courts, and Zyirun stayed behind to act as a spy. Hariun was dubbed a Shadow sympathizer, and was hunted almost as mercilessly as Liara was. Yet… somehow, they were able to conceive a hatchling, and raise your father, far better than my own father was able to raise my older siblings."

I tilted my helm at her, caught by the sadness again. "Who was your father?"

She looked to the sky this time. "Kiol."

That name rang a bell… he… Zyirun and daddy had spoken of him highly, a supporter of them… mate to the light queen…

My head slowly rose back up to stare at her… she… she was the _daughter_ of that crazy bitch?! Well… I'd realized it a few days ago… but only now did reality finally decide to hit me in the face with the force of one of those disgusting giant fish… Holy fuck… Aurora was…

She seemed to realize I'd made the connection, she got up… and walked away.

Her head lowered from its' usual spot raised high above the rest of her, right eye gazing upon me as blank and hollow as a glass eye would. "I understand if you hate me now… I'll give you your space to come to terms with the fact that my side of the family… are… unstable… murdering… psychopathic maniacs." I saw Harp trying to speak with her, but she was obviously not getting anywhere.

I couldn't believe it… She thought I'd actually judge her because of her crazy mother!? If anything, it made me want to hug her!

So, I quickly rose to my own feet, and sprinted after her, leaping up into the air, my four wings spreading out on their own ovation, letting me glide onto her back and send her crashing to the ground as I did my best to wrap my limbs around her in a hug, all ten of them.

She stumbled and fell flat on her face with a loud, _**"OOMPH!"**_

"I don't hate you for what your… bitch of a mother did! You didn't have anything to do with what she did, and I know that your Dad didn't agree with her actions either. Daddy told me he was loyal to Grandma, so he must've been a good person, and I think you inherited that from him. If you were like your mom… I don't think you'd be wasting your time with me right now." I mumbled into the soft crown of light and dark blue feathers that I currently had my face buried in.

She felt like her mother's actions reflected negatively on her, as if she herself were just as responsible. That wasn't how I saw anything, it wasn't how I perceived where the blame for someone's actions should go. As far as I was concerned; Gia's actions only reflected on herself, and Unicron, who was corrupted by her beliefs and became the power hungry tyrant that was well known in Cybertronian legends. Aurora was not guilty, or responsible, or even one to be held liable for anything that happened, she'd only been an egg… just like me… It surprised me actually how similar we were in that regard… we both had doubts, fears and all that scrap which were irrational… ones we refused to just drop…

"If Daddy or Grandaunt Zyriun thought you were like her, I know they wouldn't have entrusted me to you if they didn't think you were a good person. That shows that they have faith in you right?"

She shifted, and I had to lean back so that she could twist her neck in order to look at me with surprised, yet equally guarded eyes. "You don't think… badly of me because of who my mother is?"

I shook my head and clambered off of her back, albeit clumsily. "No. It's not really my nature to be judgmental of someone just because they're related to someone that might've done some… bad things. You can't be held accountable for what your parents did. If I judged you because of that, I'd be no different than your mom or any of the other Lights. That's not who I am."

Her head fell in dejection. "Maybe not… but you'll learn to hate the majority of our species when you see what they've done. I know that I do, with the exception of my family… excluding my mother and my brother."

I plopped down and nudged her side. "They don't sound very nice…" I admitted, experimentally flicking my wings and tails to get more used to moving them. "but that doesn't reflect on you. We're only responsible for the things we've willingly done, and everyone makes mistakes and does things they're not proud of. At least you're not going along with everything she strived for. That's what counts now."

"True, but I'm no saint. Nor will you be now that you've regained your body and the abilities that are inherent in shadows… You'll see everything our kind has ever done, every dirty little secret, every death… there's no escaping it for you."

What the heck was that supposed to mean? "Huh? What's that mean?"

She sighed and shook her head back and forth as if to dispel some less than pleasant thought. "Never mind… I'll explain more later."

Once again I felt clueless, out of place, out of depth and my element… I mean, I never was the most confident or adept person, and now I was even more aware of my shortcomings… Maybe it was best to change the topic? I did need to learn more about myself, and what I was. "So… am I a speed class like you then? We look a lot alike…"

Piercing blue eyes suddenly locked on me with startling intensity. "You are not a speed class…"

"Then what am I?"

"You're a striker class."

Striker?

* * *

**R&amp;R!** Cliffhanger! You'll have to wait to learn about Strikers later! Please let me know how you guys are liking these changes!


	38. Chapter 38

If anyone has a deviantart account I have a contest going on for a redesign for Athena from my fanfic, The Secrets She Keeps! Please check it out if you're interested in possibly designing her new look for the next story arc! :D Anyways... the creep factor is shooting up in this chapter! That's all I'll say! I DO NOT OWN TRANSFORMERS!

* * *

**(Ierena's POV)**

Neither Aurora, or Harp would explain what the heck a striker was. After it first being mentioned the topic had been tossed aside, and no matter how much I asked neither would explain. They'd just change the subject and keep me busy with something else, like practicing moving all my limbs in conjunction with one another, and with more fluidity. If I was going to fly I needed to be able to flap my wings, and shift them to be able to change direction, and my tails would apparently help with directional changes both in the air, and when I was running.

It took a while to get the hang of having ten limbs, and being able to move them independently, and in sync when needed, but a few days of practice was enough to at least get the basics down. It kept me sufficiently distracted from asking about what I was, that neither Harp or Aurora wanted to talk about.

Whatever a striker was, it must be bad, because in my experiences people didn't mind talking about anything positive. If a striker wasn't something that was considered negative, they wouldn't have a problem explaining it. So that led me to believe that whatever I was… was something that was held in either fear, or contempt.

Was… being a striker really that bad…? Did she not want to tell me because she was ashamed of me?

I felt my wings droop with sadness, which would've seemed strange a few days ago when I wasn't used to them. But now it was almost normal, like a part of my body that had always been there. It felt natural now… I still felt like an octopus though…

With a sigh, I turned to look at where Harp was perched on a branch, carefully preening her light blue, metallic feathers. It was just the two of us for now, since Aurora had gone off for a flight a while ago and she hadn't come back yet.

I was supposed to learn how to fly soon… but I was worried about falling. Huh… my acrophobia kind of made me the equivalent of a cripple didn't it? I was a Titan that was petrified of flying or being high up in the air…

But at the same time I wanted to fly. It felt like I was being beckoned towards the sky, like a deep, instinctive urge to spread my wings and soar through the clouds. It was equally as overwhelming as my fear of heights was.

I'd never get over my fear if I kept inhibiting myself with it! But how could I get over an irrational fear that I had for as long as I could remember? "Hey Harp?"

She looked up from her preening. "Yes?"

"How… have you ever been… afraid of falling when you're flying?"

"Everyone is afraid of flying at first Ierena, but once you get used to it flying is the most liberating thing in the world. When you're soaring through the sky nothing can touch you, it's exhilarating."

I looked down at my paws with an aggravated huff. "I'm afraid of heights… and falling off of things. I have been for as long as I can remember, and I don't know why… But something inside me… wants to fly, and I want to know what it feels like… but this fear keeps making me terrified at the same time. I don't know what to do…"

"Well… when Ro was learning I just pushed her off a cliff, and that got her flight instincts going. That's normally the best way to learn, and it worked for her."

My wings shot up in alarm, as did I. "You want to push me off a cliff?!"

She cocked her head curiously. "Yes I did say that. That's the best way to teach you."

She wanted to push me off a fucking cliff! How the hell was that going to help anything? "You want to push me off a cliff? How the hell is that going to teach me how to do anything other than fall? Which I already know how to do!"

"Trust me, once you're falling all you have to do is spread your wings and gliding is simple. That's the first step that you'll learn, then after you've gotten the hang of that we can move onto actually trying to go up! But if you need to have some extra motivation, you should know that we have to fly back to Earth from here… so until you can fly we're stuck here. It's also quite a long flight as well, so you need to build up some stamina for the trip home."

My jaw dropped. "WHAT?! WE'RE STUCK HERE UNTIL I LEARN TO FLY?!"

"Yes."

Oh fuck… I… oh shit, we're screwed… They expected me, the most inept Titan in existence, to be able to fly all the way to Earth? How the fuck was I supposed to do that?

"You're doubting yourself again." Harp pointed out sternly. "You seem to do that a lot. Do you have any self-confidence to speak of?"

I flinched back and dropped my head shamefully. Normally I had some confidence to speak of, but I doubted myself a lot when it came to most of the things I did. I was always comparing myself to other people, demeaning myself because of my fighting skills or lack thereof, but most of all… I couldn't help comparing myself negatively to Aurora.

It wasn't like she demeaned me, or even put me down when she was trying to teach me anything. She was patient, and she took her time explaining things and correcting me if I did something wrong, or praised me if I did something right. But… it felt like I didn't know how to do anything in comparison… I was new to this, and I felt out of place sometimes, confused, and she was confident and poised all the time… like she had no doubts or fears.

Despite how people I knew perceived my actions, I was always doubting whether they were good enough. As I grew older it wasn't as bad, but from time to time I would find myself comparing myself negatively to one of the bots, or berating myself for not doing as well as I felt that I should've. I kept it to myself and acted like nothing was wrong for the most part, or when someone mentioned my sullen mood I'd make it out like it wasn't bothering me as much as it really was.

Nobot noticed.

But now it was worse than it had been in a long time… I mean… it took me three days just to learn how to move my limbs in sync, or independently, or even in conjunction with each other. I was more used to the weight and the feel of them, but sometimes I was still surprised when I felt one of them move without me consciously wanting to do it.

And once again I was talking to myself, and comparing myself to Aurora. What did she even really think of me? Did she see me as someone who was as inept as I felt?

I sighed. "Sometimes…"

She hummed and leapt off her perch to fly up and land on one of my horns. "Facing your fears is a great way to build up confidence. Even Ro was afraid to fly her first time you know?"

"Really?"

"Yes she was, so in the end she asked me to push her off the cliff because she was too afraid to jump on her own. But you know what? Her instincts took over and she spread her wings and glided… well she ended up crashing into a lake, but that was only because she got startled by something… Despite that, I was very proud of her that day."

"She crashed?"

"Yes but there's no need to be worried about that! The likelihood of you being seriously injured just from a fall is almost nonexistent."

I blinked as my previous fears came back and threatened to overwhelm me again. My chest felt tight, and I swallowed heavily to dispel the lump in my throat. "Umm… that's not really reassuring."

She sighed and swatted me in the head with her wing, surprisingly hard, and I yelped at the sharp stinging sensation. "Oh stop psyching yourself out Ierena! You can do this! Now let's go find a cliff to have you throw yourself off of!"

"NO!"

All of a sudden she shot down into my face, but this time she was in her bipedal form, wings beating furiously on her shoulders, and her servos were on her hips. She gave me a stern look and pointed at a cliff that was visible in the distance. "Yes! March missy!"

I yelped when she grabbed onto one of my feathers and tugged on it to get me to move forward, as she kept hold of it and moved forward, forcing me to keep in step with her otherwise she'd end up tugging on it. And they were super sensitive because they were directly linked to the brain, so tugging it felt like someone was trying to scalp you, or yank it right out of your head.

Which meant that I was helpless to pull away as she led me up the steep incline at the base of the cliff. "You know I'm going to die somehow right?" I whimpered as we ascended up it.

"I'll help you, so don't worry! You're not going to die!"

Oh shit! Oh shit! I was so dead! I didn't know the first thing about flying… gliding…! Fuck! Ok just be rational Clare… Ierena… Ascella… whoever the fuck I was! JUST BE RATIONAL ME! DON'T BE CRAZY RIGHT NOW! OH SHIT I WAS SO DEAD! SO VERY DEAD!

My internal panic only escalated when we reached the top of the plateau, where I was led to the edge directly overlooking a steep drop into a thicket of trees below. There was a clearing a ways off in the distance, and I might be able to glide to it and land if I was careful… BUT I WAS FREAKING PANICKING, AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW TO GLIDE AND NOW SHE WANTED ME TO JUMP OFF THIS CLIFF AND FUCKING GLIDE!

"Stop panicking!"

"NO! I'M NOT JUMPING OFF A CLIFF! ARE YOU INSANE?! I'LL FUCKING DIE!"

She slapped me in the eyelid, ripping another startled yelp from me at the slight sting. "You're not going to die! Just run, jump, and as you fall spread your wings and glide. It's simple Ierena! Just remember that you entered this world by gliding off your Sire's back, with only your legs and wings free from your egg! You had the makings of an excellent flier from the start!"

"I don't even remember that!"

"You don't have to! Flight is an instinctive part of who you are as a Titan! You were born to dominate the skies and the land! Now jump off this cliff!" She gave me a nice push, though it didn't get me to move an inch.

Instead I dug my claws into the ground and peered over the side at the steep drop below. One that seemed to be stretching farther, and farther down with each second I looked at it… I felt queasy… in my chest… like I was going to upchuck! I didn't even know if I could puke!

No! No way! I wasn't jumping!

At least that was my plan, but a sudden, decibel piercing screech rang out far too close to me, the sound startling me so much that I screeched and lunged forward without thinking better of it. I effectively threw myself off the cliff, screaming as I ended up in a freefall plummeting spiral towards the ground.

Wind rushed past me, breaking apart at my pointed maw and creating a slipstream around my body. The force whipping up to meet me resonated in my horns, creating a roaring sound as they processed it, nearly shattering my mind from the sheer volume. I wanted to slam my eyes shut, but a sudden flash of light blue beside me had me focusing in on Harp as she dove down and kept pace with me as I fell.

"Spread your wings and glide down on the updraft!" She yelled at me.

I fumbled, anxiety pulsating in my chest as I scrambled to spread my wings and catch the updraft of air that was rushing up to meet us. It was like a parachute effect! As soon as I spread them, the membranes expanded as air pooled against them, immediately slowing my descent and allowing me to slowly ride the current downwards.

My chest was still heaving with panic, but when I realized that this was in fact working and that I wasn't on a free fall of death anymore, it soothed me a bit. I could feel the wind gently caressing my body, enveloping me as I glided over the trees below, with Harp keeping pace with me the whole time.

It was actually… not as terrifying as I expected it to be. My wings were strong, easily able to support the strain of being in the air, much to my surprise. I was able to glide through the air with no resistance, easily surveying the forest below in awe. I'd never been so high up before, besides being in a plane, but that terrified me horribly, even up until the day my hybrid body… died…

But this was… kind of exhilarating, still kind of scary because I was petrified of falling, but I wasn't feeling in danger of my wings giving out. I looked around at the dark sky, illuminated by the soft glow of the artificial moons above, and for once I didn't feel so small and insignificant. Because one day, if I was able to completely get over my fears, I could fly higher than the moons and even the stars.

Maybe… it wasn't so scary…

"See? It's easy!" Harp praised me as we glided past the line of trees that surrounded the clearing we closed in on and landed in.

I instinctively moved my legs forward and grasped the ground with my claws to bring myself to a complete stop, my bones and muscles absorbing the slight impact made when I landed. Once I was back on solid ground I stood there for a moment contemplating the fact that I'd thrown myself off a cliff… and I wasn't currently a pancake waiting to be scraped off the forest floor…

It clicked into place: I just threw myself off a cliff and glided across a large section of forest, without fucking up or injuring myself…

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSS! FOR ONCE I DIDN'T FUCK SOMETHING UP!" I yelled joyously, then I spun and started doing a happy jig, that was really only me shaking my butt and hopping around like an idiot! I couldn't help the elated whoops of joy that kept escaping me as I continued spinning, shaking from my head to my paws, and jumping up and down like a deranged Duracell bunny!

I was so into what I was doing, so overjoyed with my success, even if it was just a small one, that I wasn't paying attention to anything or anyone around me. That was why I was startled when I heard someone, who had a voice that was deeper than Harp or Aurora, laughing at me.

It was so sudden that I tripped and fell flat on my face. "Half pancake…" I muttered into the dirt sourly.

A deep, yet strangely soft, and lulling voice spoke up a moment later. "Young one, the dirt is hardly a place for your face at the moment, that is more a place that you would find yourself when pitted against an Earth element. Now stand up, we have much to discuss and very little time to do so."

When I shoved myself up and turned around I didn't know what I expected to see, but it was most definitely not a billowing cloud of black smoke. The only thing I could make out were two glowing white orbs higher up near the top of the smoke cloud, besides a few flashes of blue that lit off every few seconds. Other than that there no features that I could see.

I blinked, unsure of who that was, or what it was, then I turned to Harp who was perched up on a low hanging branch. "Harp… what is that?"

"What is what?"

I pointed at the cloud. "That…"

"That's your grandmother Ierena, not an it." She explained in amusement, before she turned to the cloud that was apparently my grandma. "Apologies Liara, she's a little out of touch with everything that's going on."

"I'm aware. Where's Sion?"

"She's off for a flight right now."

"A flight? But she's been grounded for six hundred years! She's not supposed to be in the air for another few months! That's why I had to bring her here myself!" My… grandma pointed out, her voice calm yet surprised at the same time. "How did that happen?"

"You can thank your granddaughter for that, she healed Aurora's wings."

I couldn't really gauge what was going on, since I couldn't see any discernible expressions on my grandma's face… since there wasn't anything to look at. I also found myself feeling self-conscious about looking at her, since I knew I probably wasn't the ideal granddaughter. Look at me; I didn't even know how to fly, or breathe fire, or even hunt yet… Those were all things that even baby Titans probably knew how to do!

"I see… it seems that she's taken after Hariun and our son… I wouldn't have it any other way…"

Those bright, glowing orbs drifted in my direction, and I instinctively ducked my head down into the grass because I was too afraid to actually look at her! I'd always wondered what it was like to have a grandparent, but now that my grandma was in front of me… I didn't feel worthy enough to look at her.

I'd never felt so… meek, or unworthy of doing something before… My grandma was the Queen of Shadows and Death for fuck's sake! How could anyone live up to what would be expected of them when they were related to someone like that?!

I wanted to bang my head into the ground… but then a sudden gust of wind whipped up the grass and allowed me to briefly catch a flash of familiar, dark blue paws.

"Auntie? What are you doing here? And… Ierena are you imitating an ostrich?"

"Because…" I stammered nervously.

She lightly poked me in the head. "Because of what? It's not like she's naked… wait… we kinda are all naked… we aren't exactly wearing coverings or armor…" I tried to ignore the sudden heat in my cheeks, thank… oh who knows who… for the fact there weren't any male Titans or males in general, this would be really awkward then…

"I don't care! I'm keeping my head down here!" I finally got out after banishing the thoughts Aurora's rambling had caused.

"You're being ridiculous."

"No I'm not!"

The grass parted in front of me, and a familiar light blue face slid between the strands, until we were less than a few inches apart. "Auntie can only be here for a few minutes you know. So get your head out of the grass and talk to her, she came all this way to meet you."

I did an awkward, backwards army crawl. "She's gonna be disappointed in me!" I whispered.

She gave me a confused look and crawled after me. "She's not going to be disappointed in you! I've known her my whole life, and there's no way she'd be disappointed in you. Your circumstances weren't the best and now you have to make up for lost time, but that's not your fault! We're all here to help you through this transition, but in order to do that you need to get your head out of the grass and say hello to your grandmother! Trust me, you need to be able to speak and interact with her, because she'll be one of the people that will help you most." She tried to reassure, her voice soft and soothing, dammit… she made me want to just curl up against her and stay like that… I couldn't place it, but there was just something about her that tried to put me at ease, like… an older sister offering reassurance or something…

"But I… I'm not…" I trailed off without finishing my sentence.

"Don't worry about what you aren't, and start focusing on what you can be. Now come on, we're running out of time for introductions." With that she slid forward and nuzzled me under the chin, pushing my head up in the process, much to my surprise.

I wasn't sure about this…

I was afraid of not measuring up to what I should be…

But I still reluctantly raised my head out of the grass and stood back up so that I wasn't hunched over anymore. The first thing I saw was Aurora's encouraging expression, then I slowly looked up at the black cloud directly in front of me.

Her glowing orbs slid shut slightly as they bobbed up and down once within the smog, before drawing closer, tilting left and right before resting just to my right, before I felt the smog envelope my head and upper neck. I didn't choke, but I did tense, as the eye I could see stared directly at me from beyond the thin wall of dense smog between us. "Do not worry yourself Ierena, I am as proud of you as I am of my own Son, and Ro along with her bunch of odd balls..." I heard Ro exclaim something, but the words were lost to me. "Have confidence, for you have the confidence of those around you, along with their support to help you. So long as the winds show their loyalty to you, and you respect its' power, your flights, no matter the length, shall always be a highlight to remember." She pulled back after she nuzzled the side of my face, but it felt like she passed through me slightly, a cold chill running through that side of my face and leaving me feeling a bit numb, before turning then to Aurora.

"You'll be glad to hear, that no one has been seriously injured or killed back at the Caverns. Razor is doing quite well with the help of some of your newer arrivals." She declared, leaving me both stumped and concerned.

Aurora however, sagged with relief. "Thank the ancients... wait... don't tell me he's...!"

"Pulling his weight? Yes, he is, and I think doing just part of your job is giving him reason to garner some respect for what you do to keep the peace... and now... my time is up. Good luck Ierena, I have faith that you will make me prouder yet, Ro, keep her safe, and Harp? Keep Ro sane if you would? You know how she gets." That garnered a grumble and a kick of the front leg from Ro along with a huff of blue tinted smoke. Wonder what grandma had meant by that?

Before I could ask she was gone, the smoke cloud dissipating within the blink of an eye. I was left standing there, feeling weak in the knees from such a nerve-racking encounter. But she… accepted me, and that made me feel a bit better about everything.

"You know… that introduction was a lot like my first run in with Auntie." Aurora's musing had me snapping to attention as she stepped back to my side, parallel with me. She was staring up at the sky as if reminiscing over something, which she probably was.

"Really?"

"Yes. I first met Auntie after my first gliding lesson, just like you. She scared me out of the sky and I ended up crashing into a lake!" She exclaimed, it was funny how her facial expressions worked, her horns and feathers acting like magnifiers of her emotions, the greater potency of her emotion, positive or negative, affected to what extent they would flare, it was taking a while, but I was finding reading her expressions easier and easier as the days rolled by.

"Bad timing?" I guessed, my anxiety giving way to amusement.

She huffed out a laugh, shaking her head from side to side as her feathers shook with mirth. "Yes! She's always had a habit of having really bad timing! I can't tell you how many times she's popped up in my room in the middle of the night and scared me witless!"

"Sounds like it can be… annoying…"

"Very." She shook her head and turned to face me. "Well let's work more on flying practice shall we? You really need to get up in the air fully!"

…That meant throwing myself off a cliff again….

Shit!

* * *

A few more days, and about half a dozen crash landings later, Aurora and I stood at the top of the same cliff I'd been throwing myself off of daily in order to learn how to fly. It was harder than I thought, but I was starting to get the basics of how to propel myself upwards with my wings. Now I just needed to be able to get myself stable so as not to crash into the ground again!

Apparently having four wings made it harder to learn how to fly, what with having to control all of them independently, but also having to use them in sync with each other. It was actually a lot harder than it looked, and in the two times that I'd actually gotten some lift, I hadn't adjusted them according to the wind currents, and the force of the wind buffeting me, and my lack of adjustment to it, had thrown me off balance and knocked me out of the sky.

Aurora seemed to be at a loss as to how to help me, since she only had two wings so she didn't have to do as many adjustments as I did. She was trying her best to help me, but her advice was kind of limited, so I was fumbling through this whole learning process clumsily.

Now I was standing on the cliff again, staring down over the steep drop that I'd ended up laying crumpled at the bottom of more times than I would've liked, and I had to throw myself over it and hope that I didn't end up as a lizard pancake… again…

Aurora nudged me when I just stood there, glaring at the ground below. "Come on... you've been practicing for days! This might be the time that you get it right!"

I huffed moodily. "I've been ending up as a pancake every time…"

"Everyone does when they're first learning Ierena! I crashed so many times that the landscape of New Zealand was permanently changed from all the times I slammed into the ground!"

"That's not very reassuring."

"I'm not the best at that." She admitted sheepishly.

I sighed, "Clearly…" then I stepped back and vaulted over the edge without a second thought. The familiar feeling of the wind rushing passed me assaulted my senses, and I spread my upper set of wings to allow it to pool under the membranes and slow my descent.

**Step one: Complete. **

Now that I was gliding, I pulled my front legs up against my underbelly and folded my hind legs against my tail. Then I flapped my wings in a downward motion, further slowing my descent as I hovered there in the air.

Aurora hovered down, effortlessly flying around me. "Now you need to maneuver your body vertically, then give a few powerful beats of your wings to get yourself moving. Come on! You've gotten this far without crashing, you can do this!"

I hesitated as the fear of weighing myself down if I dropped my lower half flashed through my mind, I'd fallen a few times because it'd happened. But I knew it was possible from watching how Aurora and Harp took off, though that didn't make me any less hesitant to do it. If I wanted to get passed this stage I'd have to face my fears, and if I fell again I'd just have to keep trying until I got it right!

With that thought in mind, I allowed my hind end to drop so that I was hovering vertically, the strain immediately making my shoulders ache as I beat my wings harder to keep myself from falling. The weight of gravity was pulling me down and I struggled against it, only to have my wings lock up from the strain, and just like that I plummeted down to the ground… again…

I slammed belly first into the bottom of the cliff wall with enough force to shatter the rocky ground. And it hurt… a lot…

"God… fucking… dammit…! Sonuva fucking bitch! I hate gravity! I fucking hate you! You mocking bastard! One of these fucking days I will put an end to your damn miserable existence! Then no one will ever have to worry about falling or goddamn tripping!"

I lay there cursing and growling up a storm as Aurora floated down like a graceful feather, and landed right in front of me. "That's some nasty language you're using. Oh and I'll let one of my friends know that they can shut off gravity around you if you still hold that opinion if you ever meet the rest of my family." She stated offhandedly.

"Shut… up…"

"Ok. Well there's still plenty of time for more practice today! Get up and let's get back at it!"

I death glared at her. "You're enjoying watching this aren't you?"

"Normally I would get enjoyment out of watching this but… wait… oh! I forgot to give you a useful bit of advice!" She suddenly exclaimed.

I pushed myself off the ground and stared at her as she lowered her neck down and smacked herself on the side of the head. "What?"

A silver blush was starting to become prominent on her features, feathers tucked back and horns stilled in embarrassment. "Well… you're supposed to run, build up momentum, then leap into the air… You've just been throwing yourself headfirst at the ground… I forgot to correct that…"

"Are you serious?" My head snapped up off the ground and I very nearly gave myself whiplash from the sudden movement.

"Unfortunately yes… Sorry! I've been distracted…"

"So distracted that you forgot to give me that helpful bit of advice, that would've prevented me from crashing face first into the ground a half dozen times at least?! What the hell could be that distracting?!" I snapped at her, the sound of my knife like fangs snapping together accenting my currently peeved off state.

She flinched back and ducked her head down, almost as far as mine had gone when granny was here. "I'm worried about my siblings… I know aunty said they were all alive and all that… but they tend to… maim each other when I'm not around to supervise them… and I can't stop fretting that I'll return home to find at least one of them in in a worse condition than I'm already thinking of…"

Huh… sounded like Sides and Sunny… Thinking about them made me sad, but it wasn't as bad as it was when I first became aware again after dying. I was going to be able to go back and see them, but I was worried that maybe they wouldn't accept me the same way… I was scared of that…

I shook the thoughts off and focused on Aurora again. She was obviously worrying… again… now that I thought about it, she'd been a bit more stressed with each passing day, she must really care for her family if she was getting this freaked out internally. "I'm sure they can behave themselves until you get back."

She cringed. "You wouldn't be saying that if you met them."

Shrugging, I turned and started back around the cliff so that I could climb to the top and probably crash again. "They don't sound that bad honestly. Mutilation happens on a daily basis on the Autobot base, because of our medic… I can't tell you how many times he's tried to murder somebot, or threatened to reformat them into a toilet… As if he wasn't bad enough Ironhide is constantly trying to shoot somebot with his leviathan cannons, and the twins are constantly trying to maim each other, or somebot else. I always have to act as a peace keeper… when I'm not raising hell myself." I could say that it was at least a good thing that the twins didn't go berserk on a daily basis… If that happened everything was doomed…

"Sounds like my family, only Emily harvested nuclear radiation from the local plant life surrounding Chernobyl, compressed it, and turned it into a concentrated organic, nuclear device that threatened to destroy an entire country. And not just the logging plant she was targeting…"

I almost tripped, just barely catching myself so that I could turn to look at her with wide eyes. "Seriously?"

"Yes." She simply stated no hint of joking anywhere.

For a second I couldn't think of anything to say to that, but for some reason the way she described Emily made me think of Aunt Judy. Only Aunt Judy couldn't make weapons of mass destruction out of harvested radiation. "How did she transport that nuclear stuff?"

"She stored it in a daffodil, and that's what she used as the husk for the bomb."

"You're fucking with me right now aren't you?"

She shook her head as we finally made it back to the top of the plateau. "I wish I was joking with you, sadly I'm not… I had to eat that damn thing."

I wisely chose not to ask, which was easy enough to do when I was being faced with the daunting prospect of more flight practice. At least this time I knew that I had to run, jump, and use my momentum to get aid in my ascent.

My wings were still aching a bit from my previous attempt, but it wasn't too bad. I spread them and beat them a few times just to limber them up in preparation for my next attempt, and they were still feeling pretty strong. This time, I gave myself a good run up, pushing off with all four and letting my momentum send me much further up. A whistle from Ro was her signal and my front two wings snapped out, pushing down with enough force for me to raise a good bit higher into the air, I just needed to avoid looking down... I hope…

The momentum with which I jumped made it easier to finally propel myself upwards and get myself fully airborne, not just hovering or gliding. I beat my wings and shot further upwards, soaring high above the ground without looking down, the wind gently ghosting over my body as I really flew for the first time. I expected to be afraid, but for some reason the exact opposite was true; I was exhilarated and elated at having finally succeeded after failing more than I wanted to admit.

I felt light, like nothing was weighing me down.

A feeling of giddiness settled in my chest, almost like when your heart was racing, only I felt pulsating waves of warmth emanating from my essence.

I felt happy, not scared for once.

My wings beat strongly, easily keeping me from falling, and filling me with a sense of reassurance and calm. I grew tired of the slow pace, and with a few strong beats of my wings I sped up and shot forward with speed that surprised me.

I shot up through the pale purple clouds decorating the night sky, feeling the cool moisture coat me as I flew above the canopy and soared above them. From here, I couldn't see the ground below, but I could watch the clouds drift by below me, or stare at the twinkling stars shining brightly up above. There were no words to describe the pure, unadulterated, elation I felt right now!

Aurora caught up with me quickly enough, letting off a happy trill as she dipped underneath my own flight path so that she could soar on my right, her own wings flapping every so often but she was mainly just gliding alongside me at present. "You did it! Yahoo!" She barrel rolled away from me, diving down a little ways before rocketing upwards with a single heavy and driven beat of her wings, becoming nothing more than a blue blur before passing into a mass of cloud which rose above the others, well, she was certainly in better spirits now.

She was through the clouds a moment later, looping backwards in a flip before vaulting into a corkscrew dive, the vapors which fell from her wings creating a sharp double helix, her tail scythe singing as she shot through the air, my own twin tail blades were doing something similar, but it was a more resonating sound than her own.

The thought that someday soon, I'd be able to do some of those tricks my cousin was able to do spurred me on, and throwing caution to the wind, I dived after her, four wings beating to keep moderate pace with my elated cousin. I could feel our emotions bleeding into one another, my elation at my successful flight spurring her on, and in turn doing the same to myself.

Once I broke the lower cloud cover, I spotted her shooting over the tops of trees, the force ripping the large organic structures from the ground. She seemed to spot me, as she banked right back towards me, reaching me a moment later with another powerful beat.

We both stopped, just beating our wings to stay in the air, facing one another scrap eating grins plastered on our faces. "I did it Aurora! I'm flying!" I exclaimed in elation. Finally, all those crashes were so worth it! It felt so right to be up here, with the only thing holding me being gravity, that was the only limit, and even then, I didn't give a damn about it. I knew I was hooked, the air was my new home, Ancients, the mere idea of being separated from this feeling as long as Ro had... yeah, I was never letting myself get crippled!

She chuckled. "I can see that!" I saw something shine in her optics then, and an even bigger, potentially devious smirk took hold of her.

"Err Aurora?"

She practically started vibrating, her feathers and crown of horns flared wide as the slits of her eyes grew wide, reminding me of an excited kitten.

Before I could react, she'd tackled me, letting off a string of happy chirps, whistles and trills as we plummeted to the ground.

I let off a startled cry when she did this, only to have it cut off as we crashed into the side of a large hill, crushing something in the process before tumbling down the hill in a tangled mess, before finally coming to a stop at the bottom, I let off a groan, Aurora, she was just doing this weird laugh like chortle.

Prying myself loose I shot her a look. "What was that all about?!"

She paused to stare up at me, before her face shifted to a paler blue in color. "Oh... oops, sorry about that Ier, got ahead of myself there... Oh well, first flight complete, we can work on your stamina whenever you want to."

Oh right… I needed to build up stamina and endurance so we could fly across who knows how many galaxies, to get back to Earth… My wings were already aching a bit from the strain of practicing all day, I could only imagine how bad it would be after the flight back home… "It's gonna take a while to build up the stamina needed for that flight isn't it?"

"Weeks, or maybe even months of almost constant practice. But we still have to fit other things in, so the time needed might be extended even further."

I sighed and flexed my aching wings to limber them up some. "Am I ever going to be able to get back home?"

"Hopefully, given time and practice, yes." She responded, rising back up and stretching in a way eerily familiar to a cat, I half wanted to give her a scratching post… she'd probably just rip it to shreds.

My chest suddenly rumbled loudly, and I grimaced when I realized that I hadn't eaten all day long. "Well I'll get back to work on that… after I find something to eat… and this time none of that weird fish!"

She rolled her eyes. "Ok fine. We'll see what else we can find."

Thank Pr… the Ancients…? Er… yeah… Oh screw it! I just wanted food!

* * *

**(One week later)**

I beat my wings and soared just below the cloud cover, feeling the wind gently washing over my body as I flew over the world below. Flying grew easier and less strenuous with each day that went by, most of my time being spent practicing. I wasn't able to maneuver as well as Aurora and Harp were yet, but I was getting better at being able to make changes in direction and descend and of gaining altitude when I was already airborne.

I was also getting better at not freaking out whenever I was able to see the ground when I looked down. After the elation of my first successful flight, the inherent fear had made itself known on my next attempt. It wasn't as bad, but I still felt queasy when I could see the earth below me while I was flying.

I did still love flying though, more than I imagined! Every second I wasn't doing something else, I was up in the air flying so that I could gain more stamina and endurance. It also helped me clear my mind when things were nagging at me, Harp spoke the truth in that regard, the air was a blissful escape from reality… one I embraced with open wings and a bellow to the shining stars above.

Speaking of, Harp and Aurora were asleep at the moment. I'd left them behind when I got bored with sitting and watching them snore like crazy, backfiring chainsaws for Aurora, never ending chirps and warbles from her mom, so I decided to go out for a bit. The winds were calm, and I was currently soaring high over a lake that was thankfully not dotted with the glowing white flowers that signaled that the waters were home to those Lake Guardians, I was really sick of those ugly fraggers, seriously, mother nature went too far with those bastards.

The air was warm, and the dull glow from the artificial moons high above cast an eerie glow on the world around me. The vibrantly colored flowers glowed in the night, a myriad of illuminations being cast across the surface of the lake. The strangely colored flesh trees with their blue leaves swayed in the gentle breeze, a sweet smell being beckoned into my nostrils as I passed by them, though whether it was from the flowers or them I wasn't sure. I still had trouble discerning different scents, and where they came from.

Humming quietly to myself, I sped up with a powerful beat of both sets of my wings, easily shooting forward with enough speed to cause a sonic boom to go off behind me. I smirked, though days ago when Aurora first explained that I was fast enough to easily break the sound barrier, it had shocked me beyond all belief. Now I easily created sonic booms whenever I flew or ran, and the shock was gradually wearing off as I learned more about the limits of what my body could do.

I angled my wings and quickly changed direction, shooting up towards the cloud cover and reveling in the sensation of flying, ignoring the fear trying to rise to the forefront of my mind. It was hard to shake, but I managed to enjoy flying most of the time. Maybe it was because it was apparently a very big thing to Titans, something that was very central to… our beings themselves… Whatever the case, despite how I was still scared sometimes, I couldn't resist the beckoning of the skies.

When I was up here though, my mind sometimes wandered to things I kept trying not to think about. Like my adoptive creators and the twins… and what they were going through right now. They were probably mourning my _**'death'**_right now, and knowing them they were all taking it in very different ways.

Dad probably just threw himself into work to distract himself from it, but he would lack the drive that he once had for it. He'd just be doing it to get it done, and the normal satisfaction that he used to feel when he accomplished something would be gone. At least he still had Opi…

Opi was probably lacking the normal enthusiasm he had for everything. When he was upset, he used to hole himself up in his room and listen to music to try calming down… Was he doing that now? Was it even helping him? Hopefully Dad was comforting him…

The twins faces flashed through my mind, causing an intense burst of longing and sorrow to build up in my chest and tighten uncomfortably. What were they doing right now? I knew that I would meet them again… but they didn't know that I was going to come back… Were they wallowing in misery right now? Did they blame themselves for how I died? Had they given up? Or were they trying to push on and live regardless of the pain?

I sighed guiltily. If only there was some way to at least let them know that I was ok… If there was one, I sadly had no idea of what it was… And now I was depressed… great...

"There goes my plan of trying some maneuvering…" I mumbled as I sped up and turned my body so I could circle back around and head back to the cave we were living in at the moment. However, as I was doing that some kind of structure in the distance caught my attention.

There were what appeared to be mounds of rock in the distance, along with what looked to be stone structures resembling a town or something. I wasn't supposed to be running off on my own but… my curiosity got the better of me and I circled back around and headed straight for it.

It wasn't far off, tucked between two massive mountains that created a valley near the shores of the lake. As I descended and slowly glided over the relatively intact, yet still overrun with vegetation structures, I surveyed the ground below for anything that might be dangerous but there didn't appear to be anything that was going to try maiming me.

There was a strange type of plant, reminiscent of ivory, but just a more vibrant yellow instead of a deep forest green. It was growing all over the buildings, that were surprisingly still in decent shape, if not a little dirty. Rubble decorated the streets below, mounds of rock that were myriads of different colors clustered together in such a way that it would be impossible to walk through the streets without stomping on some of them.

I circled around until I found a nice, clear patch to land on, beating my wings to slow my descent as I gently dug my claws into the ground and sat down next to a mound of red and black rubble. My wings instinctively folded in and tucked up against my back as I looked around the eerily quiet, abandoned town.

Rubble crunched under my paws as I slowly plodded forward, through the empty streets… the only sound I could hear so far was the gentle howling of the winds brushing against the structures. Shadows pervaded all around me, dancing between buildings, and blanketing the world around in a deathly embrace. Strangely enough, the heavy darkness didn't really bother me, though I was still a little unsettled for some reason.

I couldn't quite place what it was, but I slowly ambled forward, under the eerie veil the shadows cast over this place. There was just this feeling that… something I couldn't see… watching me from the shadows… It kind of creeped me out, but I chalked it up to the fact that this was a ghost town for all intents and purposes.

Shaking it off, I looked around the remains of what I now realized was a market town. There were storage crates, and the remains of market stalls littering the streets, some smashed beyond recognition, but others were moderately intact.

It'd been so long since whatever happened went down, that there weren't any rotten remains of produce left, or any other goods… In fact, there weren't even any bodies left over either, not even skeletons which was strange…

"Where did all the bodies go…?"

All of a sudden, a soft, lilting giggle started up right behind me…

I whipped around, nearly tripping and in doing so stomping on several clusters of rock in my haste to see what it was. All I saw was the flash of a stubby tail racing around the corner of a building, something in me seizing up when a sinking feeling started up in my chest…

Then… I felt something rubbing against my front left paw…

"What the… fuck…?"

I snapped my head down, half expecting one of those creepy bugs I'd sworn to stay forever away from… only there wasn't anything there…

My horns and feathers twitched, my growing anxiety leading to their sensitivity spiking… something on the breeze… shooting past me in a single moment, from my left, my body twisted to it… eyes scanning the ghost town, the mounds, the empty crates… for the love of the Ancients if this place is haunted…

Another sound, my head snapped round, a slightly darker silhouette vanishing around the corner, I went to follow, when I caught something to my right, another shadow, bolting across the main square.

Then another, through the empty window on that buildings second floor, half of it having been torn away along with most of the building.

Another sound.

Another shadow.

Around. Around. Around.

Another mound crushed in my haste… a dark blue and royal purple… oddly shaped one… or had been.

Jolting at every sound, my breathing became more labored, furnace burning hotter and hotter within me.

My eyes snapped to every movement, even those which I realized where just the moons casting their ever creeping shadows.

Then… before I could turn towards another shadow… a feeling…

Pressing against my leg, up… down… something cold…. Deathly cold…. Smearing my leg… Seeping into it…

A purr… A chirp… A warble…

A voice… Broken… High pitched… Rasped…. Distorted…. Unnatural… Male… A child…

"_**Momma?"**_

Slowly I turned my head down, eyes growing wide in terror… furnace seeming to suddenly turn to ice, freezing me in place…

All except my voice… Which let off a ground shaking… Horrified…

_**Scream**__**…**_

* * *

R&amp;R! Cliffhanger! There are gonna be creepy moments from here on out sometimes! Some you might not expect even!


	39. Chapter 39

Well here's an update for everyone! I hope you all like it. Let me know if anything seems out of place or anything because somehow a chunk of the chapter disappeared during editing and it was a pain to try putting it all back together! I do not own Transformers!

* * *

**(Aurora's POV)**

**BAM!**

The sound echoed as I slammed my head into the ceiling of the cave upon hearing what could only have been Ierena's terrified screaming. My horns buckled slightly under the force of impact and making me yelp when pain went surging through my skull. It was like my brain was bouncing around in my head, and it was lined in spikes and smashing against the walls of its' cavity. Sonuva goddamn fucking bitch! That hurt!

"From now on I'm going to sleep with a fucking helmet on!" I moaned as I gently rubbed my throbbing head with my paw, hoping to relieve some of the ringing sensation.

Mum looked down from where she was perched on an overhang, raising an optic ridge at me. "You did that back in the Roman Era, and you still managed to fall into the Mediterranean instead!"

"Are we really going back to that now?! Remember how I was drunk off my ass when that happened?! I was half hung over, and somewhat thinking that I was swimming in a bunch of that… what was it… Polistinian concoction, wait what was that called?"

Harp sighed. "Don't you think it's more important to go find out why your cousin is screaming bloody murder?"

The reminder had me bolting upright, damnit I'd gotten distracted! "SHIT!" I turned and raced out of the cave, taking to the air with a few strong beats of my wings, and trying not to get after Mum for changing the subject like that. The cause of Ierena's terrified screaming was more important to me at the moment, so I took off as fast as my wings could carry me in that direction. Well, as fast as I could without needing a few miles to slow down to a safe landing.

I paid no attention to the lake below as I raced over it, closing in on where the sounds of frenzied screaming were coming from. Blue tinted, black flames were raging about in what was once an old market town, licking at the buildings and bodies lining the ground. I soared high above the flames, searching in between the buildings for the familiar black form of my cousin.

My eyes snapped up when a building was knocked down at the very edge of the town. "That's where she is!" I sped up and spotted her large body as it weaved between buildings, black flames shooting from her maw and encompassing everything in their path. Her eyes had a crazed look in them, darting around the surrounding area with fear and desperation residing in them. Like she could see something that I couldn't…

Like she could see something that I couldn't…

"Oh fucking hell! She's having a vision!" Well that realization hit me like a ton of bricks… with Razor on top. No that would kill me… Well what the fuck was I supposed to do now? I definitely needed Sound's help and of course she wasn't here…

Ok I needed to focus… I needed to get her attention off of whatever she was seeing. Of course this was something that Auntie never trained me to do…

"Ro stop beating around the bush and just do something already!" Mum shouted from her place in my crown as I banked a hard left around the town, my wings whipping up the smoke and luring some of it out of the way akin to a tornado… maybe I could starve the flames of air?

I huffed, banking back to the right and hovering out of reach nervously. This wasn't something that I was prepared for, and I was anxious because it was out of my comfort zone. Dealing with my siblings was not as potentially life threatening as this situation was… "I'm so about to die in five seconds…" I muttered.

"Just hope that your cousin bond is strong enough that she recognizes you and doesn't maul you! Now go!"

"That was as comforting a speech as being told that I could only go through door A, or door B, and waiting for me in door A is a gun squad waiting to shoot the shit out of me, and door B having a pack of rabid Lake Guardians waiting to rip me to shreds and ingest my flesh!"

"You know Aurora… I don't think we really have time to be discussing this anymore… Look over there!" Mum snapped at me.

I looked over at where Ierena was, and a cold chill went through my furnace at the sight of the pitch black, pulsating energy pulsating along her body. If she went primal here and now, that would be the end of Harp and I, and what remained of Valunma… Something had to be done now!

My body was instantly moving, diving down towards her... the air passing by sounding like it was howling as my tail sung out something akin to a warning.

I didn't spot the vortex appearing close to the base of the mountain and the form which came hurtling through it.

* * *

**(Ierena's POV)**

_**Flames raged everywhere…**_

_**Massive bodies writhing as far as I could see…**_

_**Frenzied screams nearly made me go deaf… The roar of the flames mixing in with the angry bellows of the crazed ones running about everywhere… Their eyes were pitch black, tiny white pupils quivering with fury as the locked on the small forms of the hatchlings who were lucky enough to still be alive.**_

_**Everywhere around me bodies fell, mutilated and bleeding… sliced, torn into, headless, convulsing and slowly hardening and becoming nothing more than jagged rock formations, some of which were trampled and torn to shreds before they even finished the process, sending cascades of rock, flesh and blood raining down on the surrounding area.**_

_**I screamed and ran. I didn't look back, but everything became a maze, twisting and twining, wherever I ran, I couldn't get away.**_

_**Panic and fear were overwhelming me, instinct taking over as I ducked and weaved between buildings. Screams were falling from my mouth, and I couldn't even think enough to stop.**_

_**An absolutely massive form was visible in the distance…**_

_**Writhing…**_

_**Destroying everything around it, its gargantuan body partially standing on an equally massive one, one who'd worn torn and molten armour, and now lay dead, forming the mountain range which encircled the town…**_

_**Burning everything in its' wake with columns of fire which turned the purple sky into a hellish red…**_

_**Death everywhere…**_

_**Severed limbs falling from the sky above me… as smaller mad ones darted through the streets with hellish screams and cries.**_

_**I even spotted one succumbing, their body thrashing as one beside it pleaded with it, only for them to fall dead from a cluster of horns being rammed into their chest by the one they'd tried to help as they completely lost themselves.**_

_**Silver blood and hot ash was raining down on my scales… I could feel the warmth and I screamed again…**_

_**I screamed as another titan one jumped out in front of me, the same terrified look in his bright green eyes. He was taller than me, easily three times as tall as even Aurora, his body type the same as hers as well but he was a deep, bloody red and ebony black…**_

_**I skidded to a stop as he ran out from between two buildings and raced towards me. I panicked, heat building up in my chest as I opened my mouth and released a torrent of black tinted flames right at him. But he raced by anyways, his body shimmering and phasing right through my frenzied attack like it never even happened, even though I saw the flames start burning the building that used to be right behind him.**_

_**He galloped passed me like I wasn't even here, tiny heads poking out of his thick horns and shredded crown of feathers, chirping and warbling in terror as he tried to get away from something else.**_

_**The reason became apparent when a much larger, purple, strength class titan trampled over the building the speed class had come racing out from behind, and took off after him. The same crazed look was in her eyes as the rest…**_

_**I screamed and turned to bolt the way the red titan had gone, craning my neck back around as I ran and spitting another torrent of fire at her in an effort to ward her off. But just like with the red titan, her body shimmered and the attack phased right through her… and she just kept coming, her jaws splitting wide and open, revealing the death trap waiting for me.**_

_**My eyes widened as horror consumed me, my flight instincts in full swing as I spread my wings in preparation to take to the air. But before I could I slammed into something, which crumbled and tripped me up on the debris. I went tumbling to the ground in a twist of limbs, my legs somehow getting twisted together as I rolled across the ground.**_

_**I tried to scramble back up as soon as I stopped moving, but my legs were twined together and I couldn't untangle them fast enough!**_

_**All I could do was stare at the titan charging towards me in terror, while I was unable to move to run away! My eyes slammed shut as she closed in, but a strange sensation of something cold slipping through my body jolted me enough that I threw my head back and stared at the legs phasing right through my body.**_

_**What the hell?!**_

_**I rolled onto my other side and watched her as she passed by me and chased after the red titan like I wasn't even here…**_

_**Even from here I could see the tiny forms sticking out of his crown, multiple sets of different colored eyes wide with fear as the larger titan closed in. I saw his wings spread as if to take him up into the air, but he never got the chance to because the larger titan closed in and lunged at the back of his neck, her jaws clamping down and ripping a pained screech from him as she twisted back around and dragged him with her, twisting hard and slamming his body into a building wings first, the resounding crack as the limbs were rendered useless as they shattered from the impact, ripping an agonised howl to the heavens beyond the hell fire.**_

_**He squirmed and screeched, clawing at her underbelly so that he could get free. But her jaws were split into fourths and were holding tight, the flaps wrapped around his throat as a horrible whirring sound started up…**_

_**The screaming turned into bloodcurdling yowls of pure agony, silver leaking through her fangs as the top part of his neck just slipped off and hit the ground. He gurgled one last time, before his eyes rolled into the back of his head and he went still for the last time, the hatchlings screaming as they bolted from their former place of safety.**_

_**I couldn't feel anything…**_

_**I couldn't think about anything…**_

_**All I could do was watch as his young scurried out of his crown and tried to get away…**_

_**Only for their father's murderer to mercilessly stomp them into little more than puddles of flesh and silver blood…**_

_**WHAT THE FUCK WAS GOING ON?!**_

* * *

**(Sunny's POV)**

We were all gathered in the hangar for a briefing about the move from the Diego Garcia base, to the new one in DC. The atmosphere was tense and heavy as it always was in the few months that had gone by since the battle in Egypt. I could hardly focus on what Optimus was saying…

I just wanted to think about Clare… We all missed her…

Sides turned to look at me sadly, and pressed himself into my side for comfort. I appreciated it… but it didn't really help right now…

(We should pay attention to this… It's important.) He said quietly.

I just grunted and turned back to look at Optimus again. His new appearance was still a little… strange… He looked like he did before, only now he had wings, a tail, and six large gray horns on top of his helm. His optics were a brighter shade of blue, and they still had a silver slit in the center. Most couldn't get over the changes… I didn't really care myself even if he was now towering over us to an even greater extent.

"As I was saying, we need to make sure that all of our supplies are sorted according to which cargo plane they will be going… on…" He suddenly trailed off out of nowhere.

Ratchet approached him warily. "Optimus?"

**:Hello? Hello? Can you guys hear me?:** A light, accented feminine voice echoed through my helm, but it was barely discernible over the horrible screeching in the background. Everybot tensed in response to it…

"What the frag?!" Ironhide cursed as he whipped around, as if to look for whoever was doing it.

**:I'm not actually where you are!:** The voice cut off with a pained shriek for some reason. **:Son of a fucking cunt! Would you stop biting my throat Ierena?! That fucking hurts! I am trying to talk to your friends and you're making it quite difficult right now! Stop!:** The voice sounded like something was choking them.

Another voice suddenly boomed through this strange mental link between us and whoever else was talking. **:Ro what the fuck is going on?! Lia just pulled me through a portal and now there's a black and purple Titan ripping into you! What the fuck is going on?!:**

**:Look, we'll talk about that later! Right now I need your guys' help so I can get her to calm down!: **She suddenly yelped and squeaked in pain.** :OW! That's my fucking tail! Stop biting that! Look can someone just say something?! She's freaking the hell out right now!:**

Optimus shook his helm and looked up towards the ceiling of the hangar. "Calm who down?"

**:Ierena! Oh shit you guys didn't know her by that name! She used to go by the name Clare!:**

"WHAT?!"

**:Yeah! Look she died and then got put back into her real body! Now she's freaking out because she wandered off alone and now she's having a vision, it must be about the extinction of our race! So now she's freaking out because she must think that she's actually there as it's happening, and Sound can you come over here and help me! She almost stabbed me in my furnace!:**

**:Ok! Ok I'm coming! Why didn't you call me sooner if this was happening Ro?! She's seriously about to lose it right now!:**

The terrible screeching hadn't once let up throughout the entire time this had been going on. But by now I was more focused on who was supposedly making such a terrified sound. My spark was pulsing with hope despite that. Could it really be…?

All of a sudden Sides dashed across the hangar and scaled up onto Optimus' shoulders like a friggin monkey. He grabbed Prime's helm and jerked it down so that he could start yelling into the tip of one of his horns. "SWEETSPARK?! ARE YOU REALLY IN THERE?! IS IT REALLY YOU?! ANSWEEEERRRRR MEEEEEEE!" He screamed so loud that that sound, mixed with the loud screeching, reverberated around the entire hangar.

Optimus suddenly jerked from the loud noise, lurching forward and tripping over his peds to land flat on his face. "Sideswipe… the screeching was loud enough… please stop…"

I finally overcame my shock and ran over to where he was, Jazz and Prowl following after me as we all leaned down and started yelling into Optimus' helm. "BABY CAN YOU HEAR ME?!"

"Stop…"

"SWEETLIN' I'S YA OPI! WHERE ARE YA?! CAN YA 'EAR MEH?!"

"Sweetspark it's your dad, are you listening?"

**:CAN YOU IDIOTS NOT YELL?! TALK ONE AT A FUCKING TIME! FOR THE LOVE OF THE ANCIENTS, I'M ABOUT TO LOSE MY HEARING FROM YOU LOT!:** The first voice boomed through the mental link again, but it was quickly drowned out by the screeching in the background. It was slightly less loud now, but it was only a minute change. **:Look, talk one at a time and calmly please. Screaming is not going to help calm her down right now, and it's definitely not helping me right now! She's clawing the shit out of my belly! If I had internal organs down there this would be bad!:**

We all looked at each other…

And then I roughly shoved the others, including Sides, aside so that I could lean down and start talking. "Clare?"

The screeching died off into a low, choked off groan in response. **:Ok, she heard you! That was good! She's calmed down some! Keep talking! Oh and by the way, you don't have to talk into his head like that. The link is established between everyone.:**

Pushing myself to my peds, I looked towards the open hangar doors as I thought of something to say to her. The words came quicker, and easier than they ever had before, and I wasn't embarrassed to say them in front of anybot. "Baby, I want you to know that Sides and I love you. We all miss you, and we're waiting for you to come back. So calm down for your… friend please, and come back as soon as you can."

A rumbling sound came through, light pitched, like a lilting purr. **:It's really starting to work! She's stopped beating our asses! Keep talking.:**

I turned to look at Sides expectantly. "You gonna say anything?"

He crossed his knees and sat on the floor, staring towards the ceiling with this dopey, love struck look on his face. "Hey sweetspark! Maybe you should stop mauling your friend and calm down? That might be nice?"

**:Oh she's not my friend! She's actually related to me, I'm kinda her father's cousin and mother's niece. Don't ask how that works, because the family tree is weird.:**

"So you're related to the uh, shadow lady that scared Galloway and left him hanging from the ceiling with the worst atomic wedgie in history?" Sides asked.

**:Oh Auntie Lia! She does that from time to time, well not the wedgie thing but… Whatever a wedgie is! Sound what's a wedgie?:**

**:You really need to keep up with human cultures Ro! You live underneath them for crying out loud! A wedgie is when someone pulls someone else's underwear up from the back and it gets lodged in their butt crack. That sounded really weird saying that… ok, I think I can let go she's stopped thrashing… I'm going to try and find something to patch you up.:**

**:Ooohhh… If you're a male that must be horrible… Humans just have it out, not hidden away like it's supposed to be! That must've made quite a few men infertile. Oh and good idea Sound, bleeding out is something I'd rather avoid.:**

"Are they really talking about that…?" Ratchet muttered from his spot beside Optimus' still downed form.

Sides just shrugged. "Yeah but I don't really care. All I care about is Clare. Speaking of, can she talk to us too? She hasn't said anything yet. Sweetspark say something! Jazz and Prowl are here with Sunny and I, and the rest of the Autobots are here too! We'd love to hear your voice!"

**:She can't talk right now. Just keep talking to her ok?:**

"'Ey sweetlin', ah guess yo'r givin' ya cousin? A 'ard tahme ain'cha?"

**:That's an understatement. If it weren't for Sound blocking my pain I would be writhing in agony right now. I'm already leaking out here.:**

"What caused this to happen?" Prowl asked.

**:I'm not sure, visions can be triggered by pretty much anything with historical or futurical value, yes that's a word before anyone tries to correct me. Visions tend to make shadows go whacky until they get used to them.:**

He furrowed his optic ridges, but surprisingly didn't push it for once. "Well my spark, a vision can't hurt you. Calm down and focus on our voices. We're all here for you."

There was a moment with no sound, no screeching, or conversation between the two we'd spoken to so far… But then a third, light pitched voice moaned, distinctly lighter than the second, and slightly more so than the first. **:Mmm… hey… Sunny… there's dead body soup… and a body, rocky mountain dragon…:**

**:Ok that was even weirder than your drunken rambling, and that's some of the strangest stuff heard by human ears!:**

**:Well do you expect her to be speaking coherently right now? It's a miracle she got that out! Well, she's gonna be out of it for a few hours or so, and maybe after she wakes up we can link you up again ok? As soon as she's prepared for the flight back to the Earth in our dimension, we can return and then jump to yours easier.:**

My jaw dropped. "WHAT?!"

**:Yeah we're in an alternate dimension right now. It would take us a few days to get from here, to my Earth, then to jump to yours. But right now Ieren isn't ready to return, she's still falling out of the sky, and crashing into mountains, and getting pelted with ice when she went out in that freak ice storm that happened… I don't even understand where that came from! Has Valunma ever had an ice storm in recorded history?:**

**:I don't know. No Titans have been here in eleven trillion years, so there hasn't exactly been any weather control you know?:**

The first voice snorted out a laugh. **:I still can't believe she believed us when Mum and I told her gremlins did it.:**

**:You told her that gremlins conjured an ice storm?!:**

**:It was meant to be a joke to see if she got the reference. Obviously she didn't. But anyways, we need to unlink with you all now so we can get her back to where we're staying, as soon as Ierena is up and about we'll let her link with you so she can actually talk to you.:**

"Ok… Just take good care of her until then."

**:We will.:** And with that the voices were gone, leaving a numbing silence in their wake.

Sides was the first to break the tense silence. "That was… just as strange as when we talked to Micronus Prime… and the rest of the Primes. They all argued like fragging siblings, like you and I Sunny!"

And didn't that just bring up a slag ton of questions…

* * *

**(Ierena's POV)**

I groaned as I came to, feeling like a few tons of bricks were weighing me down. It felt as if the deep, endless sleep I was in counted for nothing, because I was still exhausted as hell. My limbs felt like jelly, and my eyelids were so heavy that it took me a few kliks just to get them to open.

Bright blue, and silvery gray blobs were the first thing I saw. But I couldn't make out what they were, until I blinked a few times to get my vision to clear some and they were revealed to be Aurora and another Titan I'd never met before.

She was the light gray, and purple, like a slightly darker shade of violet. Her eyes were this bright blue mixed with a silvery purple, much lighter than Aurora's were, but a hers almost seemed to be fluctuating a bit. It reminded me of Opi's optics…

Wait… Opi…? I heard his voice in my dream… I heard the twins too, and Dad…

Was it… really a dream…?

No, it was more like a nightmare… Everywhere I looked there was death…

Everyone dead, or dying… I was so scared… I kept trying to get away but it was like I couldn't escape from it!

I started panting harshly as all the images came racing back like a whirlwind of fear and pain.

I remembered Titans everywhere, killing everything…

Killing everything…

Before I could freak out a strange sense of calm took hold of me and prevented a full scale panic attack. "Take it easy Ierena, we don't need you relapsing again." The newcomer spoke, her voice deeper and soothing.

I stared up at her in confusion, since I was literally unable to feel the fear or desperation that had been threatening to overcome me seconds ago… Any distraction was welcome at this point. "Who are you?"

"My name is Sounada. I was a Cybertronian once before the war, and your grandmother rescued me and altered me into a Titan so that I could serve… wait that's the wrong word, aid you and your cousin in fulfilling her plans. I do a pretty good job too, seeing as I'm useful for keeping everyone calm and on task. That's kind of what mind elements do." She did this odd bowing thing, drawing my attention to the fact she was standing on her hind legs, unlike how me and Aurora stood, her horns where straight, thin and looking like a porcupine was asleep up there, following the lithe neck down the sweeping wings were stretched out to block the light of the moons from me, allowing me to avoid getting blinded. Finally, two tails snaked around her right side, the ends looking more like bladed four way pincers mixed with an arcade crane grabber. Weird. I assumed she was a different type then.

"So… I still don't really know anything about this master plan people keep talking about, because no one explains anything to me…" I trailed off questioningly.

Aurora suddenly looked sheepish at the cold and condescending glare she was now on the receiving end of. "Well I'm forgetful, and Harp is as forgetful as me so… we both keep forgetting to tell you." She suddenly cut off and stumbled a bit, wincing and looking down at her side for some reason as her right paw moved to cover her ridged under belly.

That was when I noticed something that my foggy mind had overlooked so far. She was beaten the hell up, like gouged and scratched all to hell, with bite marks on her throat, and a gaping hole in her side that was sparsely covered by a homemade bandage of some kind.

"What the fuck happened to you?"

She chuckled and looked back at me with this odd dopey smile. "You mauled me when you were having that vision, and you kind of ripped my side open, and bit my throat, but somehow I can still talk which is weird considering something fell out of it… maybe it was just a flap of hide or something… I don't know, can you just fix this please? It kind of hurts and I'm potentially bleeding to death…"

I sat there processing what she'd just said, my brain slowly turning it over again and again, until it finally clicked in my head that I did that to her. As in, I really fucking had her ass and didn't even slightly recall doing it! I scrambled up from where I was laying and started healing her wounds, while spewing apologies for doing it even if I didn't remember it.

"I'm so, so, so, so, so, so, so, soooooo sorry about this! Normally I'm not the type too main or maul somebot, that's normally the twins or Ratchet doing that! Normally I'm the one that has to break fights up before limbs are lost, but now I feel bad because I'm the one that was tearing things off! It's kind of weird because I don't remember doing it but I still did it so I feel bad, and now I want to hit my head against the wall repeatedly for being a fuckstick."

She snorted out a laugh. "Don't bother doing that, it hurts like hell and there's no reason to. You weren't exactly… in your right mindset? You didn't actually mean to do it, but… shit happens sometimes?"

"Great explanation Ro… seriously." Sounada remarked dryly.

"Well what do you want me to say? Things like this happen all the time! I mean Rya trampled fifteen thousand people to death, burned their bodies to ashes, and half of London! Let's not mention the body she stomped on so much that its atoms were so spread out that it was impossible to find it! Razor flattened an entire mountain range, Uri's killed so many people that I can't even keep track of it, Sonic destroyed that jungle region in Mongolia and basically created the Mongolian desert, and let's not forget all the things that Emily did when she was well… off her rocker... I don't even want to talk about it because it brings up too many bad memories!"

"Those are your siblings right?" I asked while I worked to close the hole in her side, my tone riddled with disbelief.

"Yes they are. The point I was trying to make with that, was that all Titans are prone to bouts of extreme violence. Sometimes you just can't control it and you shouldn't feel bad about it… Unless you purposefully murder a few thousand people, and then you're just being an asshole. Not that we have asses to speak of." She remarked cheekily.

"What does that even mean?"

She turned towards me as soon as I was finished healing all her wounds. "It doesn't matter right now."

Before I could react she'd reared up and pulled me into another of those really odd feeling and kinda poorly positioned hugs. If we were mammals, this would feel a whole lot more awkward, seeing as we were both kinda naked... Not that I really think my cousin here cared much about that.

Glancing at her head, which was currently lying over my shoulders along with the top of her neck, I realized she'd been staring at me, and something told me she wasn't making a thing of blinking when it came to the look of absolute forgiveness she was giving me as she squeezed that bit tighter.

With a sigh I let what had just happened to me wash back over me as I effectively crumpled against her, her body holding mine up despite the weird position, and honestly? It felt even safer to be in than me twins' arms did. Why was that?

"Because you two have a family bond, and you haven't bonded with those mechs yet." Sounada answered, well, tick mind reading off the list of things she can do, not that it isn't weird that she can do that.

I turned to look at her in confusion. "Family bond?"

She nodded. "You're related by blood, and essence as well. That means that you naturally have a bond with one another, whereas you love your intendeds, but you still have no bond with them. Until you do you'll feel safer and more comforted by Ro."

That made sense, but it had me wondering if it was even possible for me to bond with those two now…? I didn't have a spark anymore, instead I had a ball of fire in my chest that was basically a compressed star. Would that hurt them if we tried it? What if it wasn't safe?

"Is it even possible for me to bond with them at all? I mean… my essence is a giant ball of fire… Will that hurt them if we try merging?" I asked.

Aurora looked to the side awkwardly. "Well… I'm not one for going into technicalities of the birds and the bees I guess you could say… but it is possible. But you need to be in a form compatible with them, so for a Cybertronian you'd have to take that form. For something like… a human, you'd have to take a human form."

"Well I don't know how to do any of that shit! I don't even know how you did that shit! That whole Lake Guardian thing scared the fragging shit out of me! Seriously don't do that again though because I'm gonna kick your ass if you do!"

"We don't have asses remember?"

"Well you have a rump area! Want me to say I'll kick your fucking rump?!"

"Please don't say it like that. It reminds me of a politician I've been having to deal with lately and he's driving me up the wall!" She groaned, muttering something so low I couldn't catch it.

"Huh?"

She shook her head and sighed. "I'm deeply involved in human politics because of some old ties which I took back up a while ago, but I think for now we should let that subject drop and focus on what's important right now. Such as what happened in that vision you had…"

I felt my body lock up at the mention of that… the memories once again becoming prominent, but I couldn't feel the fear that came with it. Now I was numb, yet still somewhat mortified by it, but the emotions were extremely dulled down. "It… really… happened like that…?"

Aurora nodded. "Unfortunately yes it did. We were all warned about what happened before being shown visions of it, so that we wouldn't react as badly as you did to all the carnage. I didn't think to warn you about it because I didn't think you'd wander off to one of the towns on your own. It's the reason why I was keeping us away from all the cities, and places where the massacres occurred."

"They told me about it." I whispered brokenly. "But… seeing it, like I was actually there… it was absolutely terrifying… I thought that I was going to die, that those crazy bastards were going to kill me! This one was chasing another… he looked like you, and he had his babies with him… She chased him, I thought she was coming after me, so I ran and I breathed fire at her but it went right through her! I thought she was going to rip me apart but… she just walked right through like I wasn't even there and she… she just grabbed him by the throat and… she had it in her jaws… there was this horrible noise like a blender grinding something up…"

Before I could go any further she laid her head on top of mine and released a low pitched purr as she pulled my head down with hers to rest against the base of her neck, above the furnace burning away inside, from this closeness, it was easy to feel the change in heat as our two furnaces heat mixed together. "Easy now… There's no reason to stress yourself out anymore. Sound got a good look at what was going on in your head, and she showed me. We already know."

I realized that I was quivering, and despite the calming influence of Sounada, it was starting to overcome me. My entire body was shaking, and I felt like I was on the edge of a full on panic attack… I took a deep breath to calm myself down a bit, and the forced calm she was subjecting me to slowly took over and suppressed the negative emotions again.

"She really… thought that would solve all her problems?"

My cousin pulled back and looked towards the sky dejectedly. "My mother… was never… the sanest Titan in existence. She thought that by creating the virus, and pinning its' creation on the shadows, she could gain back favor with her court and the people when she made the attempt to eradicate them. She knew by that point that her soldiers wouldn't be able to track down all the shadows that had gone into hiding. So by doing this she hoped that she could get the entire populace to side with her against them, in order to prevent Auntie from gaining enough power to fully oppose her. She didn't want to lose to her twin, who she viewed as inferior in every way. It's kind of humorous when you think of the fact that it was her who did away with my mother at the end."

I didn't really know what to say to that honestly… The thought that someone could be so utterly selfish and short-sighted that they would do something so desperate and ultimately… devastating to their own race. Too single handily be responsible for that… no wonder Aurora hated her mom.

"Why couldn't they be stopped?" I asked.

"The virus was meant to drive them crazy, but due to the rush of production its' creators were unaware of some of the less… desired effects. It did more than just drive Titans crazy, it increased their strength to monstrous levels, and made them impervious to pain. The sheer resilience made even the smallest of the ferals difficult to deal with, only the most skilled and powerful among our race could even hope to handle the larger ones. Because of this our entire race was driven to extinction in days… There was just no way to contain the virus."

Questions were brewing in my head, and I decided just to ask. "But… wouldn't a Titan's essence just burn up any virus or infection?"

"This virus was created to bypass the furnace altogether, and go directly to the brain and the musculature. It basically mutated the musculature, and destroyed the sentiency of whatever it infected."

"Your mom was a damn psychotic, crazy ass, mother fucking bitch." I deadpanned. There was really nothing else I could say right now.

She chuckled heartily at that. "Yes, yes she was. Unfortunately, saying that now doesn't change anything." She sighed, then she looked at me again. "Well let's get off this subject ok? How about we practice shapeshifting? You need to learn that."

"I don't have any idea how to do that."

"It's easy! For us shapeshifting is as easy as breathing! Even hatchlings can do it!"

What was meant to be encouraging actually made my ineptitude come back full force… Even hatchlings could shapeshift, and here I was as a teenager, unable to do it. I sulked like a dejected puppy, but at least it gave me a distraction from what was bothering me.

"Ok, shapeshifting is similar in mental capacity as walking, just think of the creature as you do the direction to walk, did you understand that? Or was I just rambling? All you have to do is envision what you want to shift into, and then will your body to become that. That's a much simpler explanation!"

I scowled at her.

Sounada shook her head and turned towards Aurora. "Ro, you're damaging her self-esteem."

Aurora stopped rambling and blinked at her. "Huh?"

There was a long silence that followed where the two just stared at each other like they were actually talking, and then Aurora smacked herself in the side of the head and groaned. "Well haven't I been an inept teacher?"

Sounada just shrugged. "You weren't paying enough attention to notice."

"That doesn't make me feel any better Sound!"

"It wasn't meant to make you feel better. I said it to get you to start being more observant Ro."

"She hides it well! I didn't have any idea!"

"That's just an excuse and you know it. I'm calling bullslag!"

"Hey language!" They were just going back and forth at this point, despite the harsh words, there was a fondness in both of their tones, like they did this only a daily basis for the fun of it.

"Ro your language is infinitely worse than mine and you know it! You lived with the Vikings for frag's sake! You were one of their main modes of transportation back then, and you sang those weird shanties just as much as the rest of them. I'm not even going to recall what some of those songs were about!"

"It's probably a good thing actually, seeing as they were quite vulgar…"

I looked between the two of them and raised a… brow… at them…? "You two have never seen the internet have you? Now that is a vulgar place! You think the Vikings were bad? Now their society and teachings are featured in children's movies! Have you seen _**'How to train your dragon'**_**?**"

Aurora looked at me oddly. "No I haven't seen that, but that's beside the point. I think what's most important to address right now is my lack of attentiveness to you."

I ended up hunching over a bit guiltily. "It's not technically a lack of attentiveness… I just never said anything, so technically it was my fault." I pointed out.

"No, I should've been paying more attention to how you were feeling. But I wasn't, and I'm sorry for inadvertently fueling your self-doubts by not paying attention to you like I should've." She scooted closer and rubbed the side of her face against mine. "Everyone starts out somewhere, and you're just getting started now. There's no reason to feel inferior, or doubt yourself because you've just begun to learn about your abilities. In due time you'll catch up to the rest of us. No one is a perfect Titan, not me, not you, not Sound… well she's not a full Titan actually so she can't be a perfect one… And all my siblings are hybrids too, they're actually such a low percentage that they can't even take a Titan form. If they did they'd fall into a coma that they might not ever come out of…" She shuddered fearfully, and flicked her tail nervously, then shook her head vigorously. "And you think I'm perfect? I'm the worst in tail to tail combat!" She brought her tail up around her body and flicked the three-pronged scythe in front of my face. "See this? I can't move the two side blades together like I used to be able to! They're meant to cut things! See?!"

I blinked when the two blades snapped together with a loud clack, then moved back into place.

Even she seemed so surprised by this that she could only stare at her appendage in shock. "Mum… what the fuck just happened?"

Harp suddenly appeared on top of her head. "Well it seems as if your spine has been fully healed as well. The divot is still there from where all the nerves were ripped out, but apparently it's no longer an issue. How much of her did you heal exactly Ier?"

"I don't know? How did I fix that too?"

"None of that matters. What does matter is that I'm a runt. I'm not perfect, you're not perfect, none of us are perfect! Trust me, trying to be perfect only ends badly for all involved! Just look at what happened to my psychotic mother! She failed. Bad." She tried to reassure, but I could tell she was struggling, probably due to the fact that Sounada was death glaring her again.

"I don't want to be perfect…" I admitted quietly. "I just want to stop feeling like I'm so inferior to everyone else all the time. With the bots I was just this tiny, defenseless femme that was only good for healing others. I always needed to be protected, and it felt like everybot thought I was a liability even if they never said it. It's… I don't want to feel like that anymore."

Something slid under my chin and tilted my head back up so that I was staring into one of her ocean blue eyes. "Give it time and you won't have to. Right now we're just taking baby steps, learning the basics, and then we'll go from there. Eventually you'll catch up, and then you'll never have to feel like a liability again. It's just going to be slow at the start ok?"

I nodded, even though I was still unsure about a lot of things, and talking about learning all about what I was, made the uncertainty over whether the bots and my human family would accept me rear its' ugly head again.

Maybe she sensed that? Or maybe Sounada did and informed her of my doubts? I wasn't sure honestly… But she suddenly smiled reassuringly at me. "Now, I'm not sure if you're ready or not, but seeing as now that Sounada is here, if you want, we can link up with your bots? They were really happy to hear you were safe and alive. Wanna chat with them? They really wanted to speak to you and not just two random females yelling at them." She beamed, although, with all those teeth she had, it kinda looked sadistic in an odd way.

"I can really do that?" There was a hope forming within me as what she said dawned on me, I, I could talk to them?

"Yes you can. I did tell them that you'd get in touch with them as soon as you were able!" She turned towards Sounada and gestured her over, the silver and purple Titan quickly responded, moving to walk on all fours for stability, it put her chest a low lower to the ground though, wonder why? "You think you can handle another link up today?" Aurora asked.

She nodded, puffing out her chest in pride. "Yes I can. Do not doubt my abilities Ro. I've been doing this for far longer than you've been alive for." She stopped in front of me. "I think it's best that I link Ro and I in as well so we can answer any questions they might have."

"Ok. That's probably a good idea, because Dad is going to have a lot of questions about my safety." I mumbled… in a good way of course.

"That's fine. Shall we begin?" Aurora practically chirped.

"Yes." Sound declared, as her bright blue optics were overcome by the purple and began glowing this eerie violet.

* * *

**(Sides' POV)**

We were hanging out in the rec room a few groons after the weird conversation with Clare's caretaker, and her braniac friend. I wasn't really sure what else to call somebot that could link minds together… so braniac it was!

Sunny was sitting beside me on the couch, and Jazz was squeezed into the only remaining seat, while Prowl was busy working on some data pads at a nearby table. We were all feeling a lot better now that we knew that Clare was alright… well as alright as she could be. We at least knew that she alive, and that was better than thinking she was dead.

A sudden comm link flashed on my HUD, and when I saw that it was Optimus I answered it. **:Hey Boss Bot. What's up?:**

**:The ceiling. And we have company again.:**

**:Huh?:**

**:Just come to the main hangar please. I've already commed everybot else.:**

I just shrugged and stood up, as did everybot else, and we all made our way to the hangar. Optimus was standing there when arrived, along with all the Autobots who weren't currently on patrol. "Ok we're all here! What's going on?"

"Well, it appears that our acquaintances were able to calm Clare down sooner than expected. They've all linked up again, and she wants to talk to you."

I stiffened as surprise coursed through me, then I sprinted across the hangar and climbed up Optimus' shoulders again, leaning down close to his helm. "Clare?! Are you really there?"

"Sideswipe… that is not pleasant…" Optimus sighed tiredly.

**:Yeah, you do know that you can talk without having to shove your face in his helm right? I think that you should probably show a little respect to the current Prime right?:** The first accented voice declared with a slight hint of amusement in her voice.

"I wanna talk to sweetspark!"

**:Well she's tongue tied at the moment… I think… Ierena get your butt over here and stop trying to edge away when you think we're not looking! Sound I think you need to do something about her anxiety, she's locked up again.:**

**:Well what do you expect?:**

**:I don't know! Maybe for her to be excited that she can talk to her friends and family? It's been how many months now…? Wait how long has it been for her? How long has it been for me? Sound how long have I been here? Did I miss the games?!:**

**:Ro calm down! You still have four months until then! You've only been missing for a few weeks! The only thing of significance that's happened is that Razor has developed a crush on Bara, and he almost had a panic attack because of his claustrophobia.:**

**:WHAT?!:**

"Hey we're supposed to be talking to sweetspark right now! Not listening to you two talking about somebot we don't know, having a crush on somebot we don't know!"

**:Oh yeah! Wait! She's already flown off somewhere! Ah there she is on the horizon! Sound you stay here and wait until we come back! IERENA! GET YOUR SCALY ASS BACK HERE!:**

Jazz cocked his helm. "Why'd she run away?"

**:Hmm… well let's just say that her emotions have run rampant and… wow… I'm not even going to try and name all of them… But let's go with inferiority complex, paranoia, anxiety, and potential depression blooming and all that… Ro's talking to her now..:**

"Why's she paranoid?" Sunny asked.

**:Wouldn't you be? She's just been put into her true body, and now she's basically a giant lizard. Well we're not lizards technically, but we're reptilian… we're part of a different genus. She's worried that you won't like how she is now.:**

"Why the frag would she think that?!"

**:Please don't yell… I already have a migraine from linking all of us together, and the screaming is hampering my ability to keep the link formed. If you have any questions please ask, without screaming or shouting.:**

I looked down at my twin, who looked to be deep in thought at the moment. He looked up after a moment. "Well what does she look like?"

That was a good question! "Is she pretty?"

**:Well by Titan standards she's actually drop dead gorgeous, but she doesn't seem to be aware of it yet. She took after her mother in terms of build, both of them are striker classes. Her colors however, are from her father, with only a slight hint of her mother on her underbelly. She's black with plum purple speckles, and an ice blue underbelly. Her crown is also from her mother, the feathers are purple and blue, and it's quite extraordinary as well. She got her eye color from her Sire and Liara, they're dark purple, with a midnight blue slit, and black and white flecks. Think of the sky at night.:**

"That sounds… like a beautiful color scheme. Very stunning actually." Sunny mused, quite pleased at the prospect actually.

**:You should tell that to her next time you see her, since she has no self-esteem to speak of. Oh! I see them coming back now actually! Hey Ierena! Your friends want to see what you look like! I'm going to show them ok?:**

**:WHAT?! NO!:** A vaguely familiar, yet distinctly deeper voice yelled.

**:Too late! I'm showing them!:**

I toppled off of Prime's helm and crashed into the floor when the image of a dragon-like creature slamming into the ground invaded my processor. It was more like a movie, everything moving in real time as the black dragon stumbled slightly on her peds, the pale light from the moon shining down and making the dusting of dark purple specks shine, and illuminating her icy blue underbelly. The midnight blue slit in the center of her eyes widened, partially overtaking the dark purple that surrounded it, as the bright white specks seemed to light up with panic. Then she charged at whoever was talking and shoved her face into theirs, inadvertently showing the long crown of pale blue, and dark purple feathers jutting out from under a cluster of long, thin, twisting horns. **:SOUND DON'T FUCKING SHOW ANYONE ANYTHING OR I'LL BEAT YOUR FUCKING ASS!:**

**:Technically Titans don't have asses!:** A pale blue femme remarked as she landed with more grace than Clare's panicked self had. **:Just relax! I don't know what you're getting worked up about anyways!:**

**:I think she's getting worked up the same way that you got worked up when I tried to link you with your father. You didn't even make it to contact and you were running in the opposite direction!:** The second femme shot back as she pushed Clare's face away from hers.

**:Touché… Now Ierena, don't you want to say hello?: **She turned to look at our intended, who was looking distinctly mortified right now.

She spluttered. **:Hello I am now a giant fucking dragon! Is that what I'm supposed to say?!:**

**:You do know that you can easily take a Cybertronian form right? You've transformed before right? It's just like that, only you're going to look a lot different than you used to! I'll show you real quick!:** The blue femme's body suddenly became illuminated in a bright blue glow, and her form seemed to shrink in on itself and reform into a bipedal state. Then the glow faded and Cybertronian-esque femme was standing in her place. She was a pale blue, tall with long legs, shapely hips, and an extremely slender waist, a very flat chassis, slender neck, and a helm that was decorated in shorter, thicker horns that still twisted like Clare's did, but hers had dark blue stripes on them. Then she did a little twirl so Clare could see everything. **:See? It's easy! Just like breathing.:**

**:Oh right, you mentioned we could do that earlier today…:**

**:Today is all about learning how to transform and chatting with your friends and family. Oh and don't worry about the market, that place was falling apart from trillions of years of neglect anyway. Now you try transforming!:**

Clare grumbled unintelligibly, but followed the other femme's example, only her form was surrounded by a black glow that was eerily similar to her grandmother. It made it impossible to see how she reformed through the thick shroud.

I nearly choked when the shroud faded and revealed a femme who was absolutely gorgeous. She looked a lot like the first femme, long sculpted legs, an hourglass figure with full hips, a slim waist, and a chassis that was only a little fuller than the other femme's but was still perfect, and a helm that was decorated with long, slender horns that twisted like her Titan form. She had full purple lips, and a dusting or dark purple and gold over each optic, and three purple stripes under each as well.

My jaw dropped. "Oh Primus…"

**:I look weird don't I?:**

Jazz looked at me, then at Sunny who was gaping. "Uh, sweetlin' ah t'ink by yo'r mechs reactions ya go' nothin' ta worry abou'. Dey're droolin' right' now."

She blushed.

The blue femme nudged her. **:Sound and I are going to go over there so that you can have some privacy. Make the next few minutes count ok?:**

The two wandered off to the side, yet somehow we were still able to see what Clare was doing. Which was little more than her just standing in one spot and shuffling her claw tipped peds nervously. **:Um… so… how is everything going at home?:** She asked timidly.

"It's not the same without you sweetspark." I told her seriously. It wasn't as bright and optimistic without her here causing trouble, or just being her normal goofy self. "When are you coming home anyways?"

**:I'm not sure… Let me ask Aurora. She's my cousin by the way. Hey cuz!:**

"COUSIN?!" Oh yeah, they'd mentioned a familial relation last time, I guess that just slipped everybot's processors for a moment there.

**:Uh, yeah she is. My grandma is her Aunt.:**

**:And your mother's brother is my dad, and your grandma plans to adopt my siblings and I so I'd be considered your Aunt and cousin. It's really complicated!: **Aurora explained.** :As for a time span for our return… I'd say maybe a few more weeks? Ierena is actually a quick learner, and as soon as she has the basics of Titan life down we can return… and hopefully there's still something for Sound and I to go home to after we get back to our home…:**

Clare blinked.** :Well I guess that's how long it'll be…: **She trailed off quietly. It was easy to sense the anxiousness and uncertainty she was exuding through the mental link we were all sharing. I could feel it myself, so everybot else had to be able to as well.

"What are you so nervous about baby?" Sunny asked her.

**:Umm… I'm different now.:**

"Yes we can see that. Why does it matter?" I pressed.

**:You don't think it's… weird?:**

"Well we weren't exactly expecting it, but we don't mind it sweetspark. You're still you on the inside, so why would we have a problem with you just because you changed on the outside?"

**:Because! I've become an entirely different species! And I don't have internal organs anymore outside of a brain and my reproductive ones! Well… would you classify a giant ball of fire an organ?: **

I blinked. "Um... giant ball of fire…?"

**:It's called a furnace! Like a compressed star! Very hot so don't touch it or your hand will be melted off!: **Aurora yelled.

"Where the heck is that located at?"

**:In the chest. It's our equivalent of a spark, and inside that is a very fragile and unique gem which basically holds our souls. They basically make up who we are as an entity.: **

Clare turned to look at her.** :How the frag does sparkmerging work then?:**

**:When you take a Cybertronian form your essence compresses and forms an outer layer that keeps the heat from escaping, and devastating the surrounding area. This acts as a form of… protection for any life form that you merge with, and it means you can sparkbond to a Cybertronian. Auntie explained it to me once.: **Aurora explained.

**:Well I guess that's how it works then.: **

"So we can still bond with you when you get back?"

**:If you want to still…:**

"Why would you think we wouldn't want to?" Sunny asked her incredulously.

**:I thought you might want somebot who's… actually Cybertronian. Not somebot who's a giant lizard disguised as one.: She mumbled apprehensively. **

Aurora seemed to hear it, and she ambled over and wrapped one of her wings around Clare's side in what must be their equivalent to a hug. **:I think that means they still want to. So instead of being so nervous about it, you should just go for it and mate to them so you can have them for as long as you can. You shouldn't hesitate, because if they do pass on you will live on without them and be able to mate with another if you want. Don't waste the time you can have with them now.:**

My twin and I stiffened at the mention of Clare actually being able to take another mate if we died. Cybertronian bonding was more permanent, and the thought of her not dying if we did was unsettling. "Wait… she won't die with us if we do? So… a mate bond between us would be weaker then?"

**:No! No! No! It wouldn't be weaker! It's more of an extension of what's already there… She could die from the after effects of the bond being broken, mainly from the grieving process which has driven many a Titan insane. She could die from that, but if we can get to her in time and prevent that, she can live on and mate again should she so choose.: **

I scowled. "Sweetspark can't mate with another mech…"

Clare blushed. **:I don't want to either Sides so don't worry!:**

**:Well… there is a way to fix their fragility Ierena. They could be altered into Titans themselves, and that way they'd be much more durable and less likely to be killed.: **

**:That can be done?!:**

**:You technically did it to Optimus already.: **

"WHAT?! SHE'S THE ONE THAT CHANGED OPTIMUS?!" Ratchet exclaimed.

**:I DID WHAT?!: **Clare exclaimed at the same time.

**:Your power technically altered him into a Titan hybrid, because you overloaded the Matrix with the stuff.:**

**:HOW THE FUCK DID I OVERLOAD THE MATRIX?! HOW THE FUCK?! OVERLOAD?! NOW I'M THINKING OF SEXUAL INNUENDOS!: **She screeched in embarrassment.

I chuckled despite the situation. "I've rubbed off on you!"

**:Shut up Sides!: **She looked to be on the verge of a full on panic attack right now.** :How the hell does that happen?!:**

**:Well the Matrix is an extension of your Father, and when you overloaded it with your energy, which is so closely linked to his own, it caused a bi-link between you two, and Optimus. So technically he shares both of your genetics now, but I think your Father kind of… altered him more to suit his needs so he's probably a strength class too.:**

Clare started banging her helm with her fist.** :Aurora you weren't supposed to tell them all of that!: **

"Wait an astrosecond… Primus created the Matrix, and we just found out he was a Titan… And now you're basically saying that the runt is his sparkling?" Ironhide exclaimed.

**:His one and only hatchling yes.: **

**:Aurora…: **Clare sighed, then gently pushed her away.** :Let me talk to them on my own for a bit ok? Let's leave anymore weird… explanations for later…:**

Aurora didn't argue anymore, instead she gave Clare a sheepish look, before turning and making her way over to wait with the other femme. I couldn't even think right now, and I know that most of the bots in the hangar were reeling from that last piece of information. How often can somebot say that their intended mate was Primus' daughter?!

**:So… can we all just forget she said that and talk normally?:**

"Primus is your fragging Sire?!" Sunny literally exploded.

**:Technically yes… He's my Father by biological link, and that's how I'm related to Aurora, he's her cousin. Well… my mother is related to her too… I think she's Aurora's Aunt? So the family tree is more complicated than I can be bothered to follow right now… At some point it needs to be drawn out so I can remember it all.:**

"We banged Primus' daughter!"

**:Sides!: **

"We're in love with the daughter of a God!"

**:I love you both too. Now please shut up about it!: **

"How have we not been killed because of this yet?!"

**:Because he likes you maybe…?:**

Clare blinked. **:Well I guess that's how long it'll be…:** She trailed off quietly. It was easy to sense the anxiousness and uncertainty she was exuding through the mental link we were all sharing. I could feel it myself, so everybot else had to be able to as well.

"What are you so nervous about baby?" Sunny asked her.

**:Umm… I'm different now.:**

"Yes we can see that. Why does it matter?" I pressed.

**:You don't think it's… weird?:**

"Well we weren't exactly expecting it, but we don't mind it sweetspark. You're still you on the inside, so why would we have a problem with you just because you changed on the outside?"

**:Because! I've become an entirely different species! And I don't have internal organs anymore outside of a brain and my reproductive ones! Well… would you classify a giant ball of fire an organ?:**

I blinked. "Um... giant ball of fire…?"

**:It's called a furnace! Like a compressed star! Very hot so don't touch it or your hand will be melted off!:** Aurora yelled.

"Where the heck is that located at?"

**:In the chest. It's our equivalent of a spark, and inside that is a very fragile and unique gem which basically holds our souls. They basically make up who we are as an entity.:**

Clare turned to look at her. **:How the frag does sparkmerging work then?:**

**:When you take a Cybertronian form your essence compresses and forms an outer layer that keeps the heat from escaping, and devastating the surrounding area. This acts as a form of… protection for any life form that you merge with, and it means you can sparkbond to a Cybertronian. Auntie explained it to me once.:** Aurora explained.

**:Well I guess that's how it works then.:**

"So we can still bond with you when you get back?"

**:If you want to still…:**

"Why would you think we wouldn't want to?" Sunny asked her incredulously.

**:I thought you might want somebot who's… actually Cybertronian. Not somebot who's a giant lizard disguised as one.:** She mumbled apprehensively.

Aurora seemed to hear it, and she ambled over and wrapped one of her wings around Clare's side in what must be their equivalent to a hug. **:I think that means they still want to. So instead of being so nervous about it, you should just go for it and mate to them so you can have them for as long as you can. You shouldn't hesitate, because if they do pass on you will live on without them and be able to mate with another if you want. Don't waste the time you can have with them now.:**

My twin and I stiffened at the mention of Clare actually being able to take another mate if we died. Cybertronian bonding was more permanent, and the thought of her not dying if we did was unsettling. "Wait… she won't die with us if we do? So… a mate bond between us would be weaker then?"

**:No! No! No! It wouldn't be weaker! It's more of an extension of what's already there… She could die from the after effects of the bond being broken, mainly from the grieving process which has driven many a Titan insane. She could die from that, but if we can get to her in time and prevent that, she can live on and mate again should she so choose.:**

I scowled. "Sweetspark can't mate with another mech…"

Clare blushed. **:I don't want to either Sides so don't worry!:**

**:Well… there is a way to fix their fragility Ierena. They could be altered into Titans themselves, and that way they'd be much more durable and less likely to be killed.:**

**:That can be done?!:**

**:You technically did it to Optimus already.:**

"WHAT?! SHE'S THE ONE THAT CHANGED OPTIMUS?!" Ratchet exclaimed.

**:I DID WHAT?!:** Clare exclaimed at the same time.

**:Your power technically altered him into a Titan hybrid, because you overloaded the Matrix with the stuff.:**

**:HOW THE FUCK DID I OVERLOAD THE MATRIX?! HOW THE FUCK?! OVERLOAD?! NOW I'M THINKING OF SEXUAL INNUENDOS!:** She screeched in embarrassment.

I chuckled despite the situation. "I've rubbed off on you!"

**:Shut up Sides!:** She looked to be on the verge of a full on panic attack right now. **:How the hell does that happen?!:**

**:Well the Matrix is an extension of your Father, and when you overloaded it with your energy, which is so closely linked to his own, it caused a bi-link between you two, and Optimus. So technically he shares both of your genetics now, but I think your Father kind of… altered him more to suit his needs so he's probably a strength class too.:**

Clare started banging her helm with her fist. **:Aurora you weren't supposed to tell them all of that!:**

"Wait an astrosecond… Primus created the Matrix, and we just found out he was a Titan… And now you're basically saying that the runt is his sparkling?" Ironhide exclaimed.

**:His one and only hatchling yes.:**

**:Aurora…:** Clare sighed, then gently pushed her away. **:Let me talk to them on my own for a bit ok? Let's leave anymore weird… explanations for later…:**

Aurora didn't argue anymore, instead she gave Clare a sheepish look, before turning and making her way over to wait with the other femme. I couldn't even think right now, and I know that most of the bots in the hangar were reeling from that last piece of information. How often can somebot say that their intended mate was Primus' daughter?!

**:So… can we all just forget she said that and talk normally?:**

"Primus is your fragging Sire?!" Sunny literally exploded.

**:Technically yes… He's my Father by biological link, and that's how I'm related to Aurora, he's her cousin. Well… my mother is related to her too… I think she's Aurora's Aunt? So the family tree is more complicated than I can be bothered to follow right now… At some point it needs to be drawn out so I can remember it all.:**

"We banged Primus' daughter!"

**:Sides!:**

"We're in love with the daughter of a God!"

**:I love you both too. Now please shut up about it!:**

"How have we not been killed because of this yet?!"

**:Because he likes you maybe…?:**

I was literally bouncing up and down like an overexcited sparkling right now, and Sunny had to grab me by the shoulder and force me to stop. "Sides stop doing that. You're emasculating yourself more than usual right now."

"We have Primus' favor! He's letting us mate with his daughter!"

**:Technically he never said you could or couldn't, but I didn't get to talk to him for very long at all. My crazy cat lady Aunt could probably give more insight into that seeing as how she's known him for longer than the rest of us. She's possessing Bob right now, and has been using him to keep watch over me since I came to the Autobot base. Before that apparently she was in Frankie or something… and now that I think of it there was that bird that always kept on staring at me relentlessly… then that cat ate it and it started staring at me and following me everywhere I went for about three years when I was younger. It was creepy. I think it was her though. Anyways, Auntie come on out! I know you can hear me you crazy stalker!:**

A soft meow drew all of our attention over to the corridor that led to the private quarters, and lone and behold there was this white ball of fluff with a tail… It waddled into the room and meowed obnoxiously. "I'm a cute, fat kitty! Pet me! Nya!"

I edged away from her and hid behind Sunny. "What the frag…?"

Some of the human soldiers who were standing around turned and ran away, some ducking behind the legs of some of the Autobots gathered around as they squealed like little femmes. "DUDE THAT FUCKING CAT IS TALKING!"

"Yes I am!" She stretched and waggled her puffy little tail languidly. "Nya! Nya! Nya! Nya! Nya! I feel fat and needy! Why won't anyone pet me? It's the fur isn't it? Oh also, there's a rabid insecticon locked up in the brig right now. You're gonna have to deal with him because I'm tired of dealing with his instincts. It was super difficult! Let's not even get started on the fact that he's male… and a horny male. He wanted to hump everything. I don't ever want to go near him again unless I absolutely have to. A year spent within him was far too long!"

**:Aunt Zyriun you're being weird again.:**

"And you wonder where you get it from! Your grandma Hariun was the same way! All the females in our family are crazy to some degree! You should see Ro when she's drunk! I have so many stories to tell!"

**:She's giving you a death glare right now…: **Clare warned her, but she was smirking and seemed amused.

"I'm fully aware of the death glare I'm receiving right now." Her dark green eyes slanted our way, then down at the white tufts of fur decorating her. "This fur is really starting to annoy me… I think it's time for a change!"

Her small body exploded in a poof of smoke, and when it cleared a lean Cyber cat was in her place. Her armor was a bright green and purple, with gold biolights, and what appeared to be Egyptian markings lining the side of her face. Her eyes looked like they were made up of green, twisting vines surrounding a dark purple slit in the center.

She stretched and yawned. "So much better to be back in a form that's fur-less… Now all I need is a chin scratch and some treats… then I could just take a nap…"

"Clare your Aunt is weird."

**:Yeah I know. I am very aware of that fact.:**

Sunny snorted. "At least we know where you got it from."

**:She didn't have any effect on my upbringing I'll have you know!:**

"It runs in your genes then. Hariun and I always thought that it came from our Father actually, seeing as our mother was literally stiff as a fucking board. He died before we were born actually so we never knew for sure, but it sure as hell didn't come from her. She was a nut in a whole different kind of way, and not in the good way. But I think you should focus on Ierena for now. Sound can only keep you all linked for so long."

"Right… So… sweetspark we don't want to wait a few more weeks for you to come home. Where are you so we can come pick you up?"

**:Titan home world, so out of your reach… We're actually in an alternate dimension too.:**

"Yeah your cousin mentioned that… Why can't we come over there?" I pouted.

She giggled. **:You need to be a shadow to get here, and then you'd need wings to fly from Earth to Valunma. Aurora and I have them, but you guys don't, meaning you can't get here. So we're going to have to fly back later on… and grandma has to open a portal so that we can jump dimensions too.:**

**:You could try doing that Ierena, but then we run the risk of ending up in some random place. So probably not a good idea.:**

**:Thanks for the words of encouragement Sound!:**

**:You're welcome. We need to wrap this up soon though. I'm about to collapse from exhaustion here.:**

I deflated a bit at that, sadness pulsating in my spark at the thought that we only had a few more kliks to talk to her. "Sweetspark… come home safe ok? We miss you… and the berth is too empty without you. We'll even try to make room if you want to recharge in your real form somehow!"

She smiled. **:I don't think I'll fit Sides, but thank you.:**

"We can make something work baby. We just want you to come back as soon as possible."

**:I know Sunny. As soon as I can come back I will, promise. Just try to behave yourself and keep Sides in line until then ok?:**

"I will Clare."

**:And Opi?:**

"Yea sweetlin'?"

**:Keep Dad from having any glitch fits because he's worried about me. Aurora's taking good care of me, and the area around here seems relatively safe so he doesn't have to worry too much.:**

Prowl actually smiled a bit, albeit minutely, but it was still there. "Just because you say that doesn't mean I won't worry sweetspark. Promise that you'll be careful, for my peace of mind?"

**:I will! I love you both. Take care until I get back!:**

"We love you too, and we will."

The image flickered and distorted and one of the other femmes could be heard prompting Clare to hurry up. She smiled sadly. **:I have to go now. When I get back you, Sunny, and I need to have a talk don't we?:**

I nodded, but I didn't want her to go yet… "We do… and we have to bond when you come back too."

**:Yes we do. We'll talk about that then ok? I love you two.:**

"We love you too sweetspark."

She smiled one last time as the link faded, taking that last image of her with it and leaving us alone in our helms once again…

But I could still remember hearing her voice, and seeing her smiling and happy…

That was good enough for me.

* * *

**R&amp;R!**


	40. Chapter 40: AN

So I'm posting this author's note because I'm struggling with this story. I'm struggling to find enjoyment writing it and I have been for months now. Who is Clare? What makes her unique? How is she special or different from other characters? Where is the OC that once brought me so much happiness? Sadly, I can no longer answer these questions. Every time I think of her I just see nothing. A blank space where all my joy and ambitions for WTWTCH, and SO used to be. Honestly, I don't even know if I can continue it. It's draining me emotionally and I see no point in her existence anymore. Everything that she used to be is pointless. All I have are other ideas for an entirely new story for her but I lack the ambition to write it. So I guess depending on how the response to this AN is… dictates whether I'll even continue at all. I'm gonna put a poll up as well, so you guys let me know what you want me to do. I'll put some plot bunnies I have in maybe, or just keep it a yes or no poll in regards to whether SO continues at all.

Thanks for reading.


	41. Chapter 41

Decided to update. Hope you all like it. I'm trying to get back on track but we'll see how it goes. There's some dark stuff in this chapter. Read at your own risk.

* * *

**(Ierena's POV)**

Sounada had only been able to stay for a few more hours after we'd broken contact with my Twins and the others back on my Earth. It had been fun interacting with the femme but, as it seemed to be a running trend, she was very cryptic about what she actually did and other such details. I'd tried to get info out of her about _'Strikers'_ but she was an even harder cookie jar to open than Aurora was, which was saying something. Like Aurora, she had a buddy attached to her chest she fondly called Breilni. It was cute seeing Breilni and Harp catch up with each other. Breilni was more than happy to talk the older bird's audios off. She probably would have kept at it if they hadn't had to leave.

By some miracle Granny was able to open up another portal for her, and with a hug to both me and Aurora, I swear still not used to how weird they felt. She decided to whack Aurora over the head for some reason, before she left through the portal… Afterwards it was just us two again.

And so, seeing as Aurora believed I was now fully recovered, she decided that we should start work on teaching me how to control shadows.

Hopefully this isn't going to hurt anywhere near the level trying to fly did…

She dragged me back to the pond that she'd caught that giant fish in and set us up in a shaded area under the tree line. I stood there awkwardly, not really knowing what was to be expected for my first lesson. It wasn't like I even knew wielding elements was physically possible before I'd ended up here. So I was completely fucking clueless as to what I should expect.

"So how are you feeling? Are you stressed? Are you panicking? Uhhh… are you…" She was leaning back and counting things off on her claws, which was honestly a little weird to see. "Ugh, it was so much easier to teach Emily! All she had on her mind was how to turn all the chandeliers, lamps and tables, oh and myself, into cows! How she got that plant pot to _**'moo'**_ still defies science!"

I blinked. "The plant mooed?"

She shook her head. "No, the plant pot. As in the ceramic pot that you put a plant in! No one knows how she even managed to do it! It's made of brick, not organic matter, but brick! Razor's supposed to be the only one who can manipulate earth and he had nothing to do with it! Now we have it locked up in the basement so it doesn't mentally scar anyone! We don't even go down into the basement anymore because it's down there… along with everything else she's made which defies the laws of physics, nature, logic, reality… I'm still trying to figure out how she got that boat to float… without water…"

"How the heck did she get the boat to float without water…? And can I do something like that?"

"Ancients, I wish this wasn't the case but yes. Only different perimeters! Whereas Natures are the mad scientists, Shadows are the Victor Frankensteins."

"Huh?"

"Let me finish." She piped up, tapping her chest. "Now, you know me as me, right? Well, Water Elements, are pretty much the alcoholic _**'The Dudes'**_ from the Big Labowski, as in High off our ass and rolling in the dirt going _**'the sky, it's... moving!'**_ I should elaborate this is because more than half of our element here on home world has been tainted by those flowers, and as a result, means we drink more alcohol than anything else... I however, as the years on Earth have progressed, have become more and more... stressed? And so it takes a whole lot more to get me under... hence why, I can become... err... oh what's the phrase... ah! Drunk off my ass, from time to time... despite us not having asses."

Well that wasn't exactly what I expected but worse things have happened. "Well I guess it could be worse."

"Yeah the hangovers are worse! Feels like you're having your brain removed via your eyeballs. That is hell on earth!"

"Ok. I'll take your word for it. Now… we uh… came out here to do something important right? Because we went way off course… Like really… off course…"

Aurora nodded and sat down, before prompting me with a tilt of her head to do the same. "The easiest way to begin element training is through meditation. You need to clear your mind of all distractions and try to focus, then, once you reach a state of calm, you'll feel your element entwined with you. There is another way, which I've already used, but I doubt you'd enjoy me shocking you into using it again. So, we're going the safer way. This really should be the priority method of element training... oh well, too late for Cliff and Bara." She shook her head as if to dispel an unpleasant thought, closing her eyes and breathing deep through these slits on her neck. Gills maybe? "Just close your eyes, breathe, and think of nothing. Just feel your essence…"

I copied her and closed my eyes, taking a deep breath to try calming myself. This wasn't something I'd bothered doing before… it was like every little noise, such as the tree leaves rustling in the breeze, or the pattering of little animals as they padded through the trees, sounded so much louder in my head… It was almost as distracting as Sides when he wanted interface and I was trying to do something important.

Aurora huffed. "Drown out the noises, breathe deep and focus on the air as it cycles into your body and fuels your essence. It's a pulsating core at the center of your being. You can feel it if you try hard enough and focus."

Breathing deep, I tried drowning out the sounds again, but they were still a dull humming at the edge of my awareness. Meditation was harder than I would've thought… When I wasn't actively thinking about something my mind wanted to wander to anything and everything, which it was trying to do now. Memories slowly started trickling through my head, little insignificant ones from when I was… human... Or some of the bots and my time with them, their faces flashing through my mind.

My eyes popped open and I groaned. "Ok, this isn't working. I can't not think about anything."

She opened her eyes and looked at me sternly. "Try again, and if you see things it's going well. Let your mind be the maker of what you see and hear, not your eyes or horns."

I sighed and closed my eyes again, focusing on not listening to anything around me. It was hard because, from what I'd learned, Titans that had horns like me, used them to interpret vibrations. It was how we processed sound, and they were hypersensitive. So every little vibration was captured… I had to learn to shut them out.

So I focused on the calming breaths I was taking, each deep, even intake and exhale… I honed in on that sound, and its' calming influence, and used that to slowly start emptying my mind of any and all thoughts. It was like the world around me slowly faded away, not so much like I was floating, but like it didn't exist to me.

As reality faded to a dull hum that I was easily able to ignore, I became aware of a light, pulsating warmth in my chest. I focused on the ball of fire that apparently protected the small gem that was my soul itself.

"Now you need to focus on the thin veil surrounding your essence, and tap into your power on purpose this time. And please don't hit me in the face with it this time." She instructed in a light, quiet voice, so as not to distract me.

I did as she instructed and focused on the thin, tangible veil that I could actually feel wrapped around my essence like a cold blanket on a warm summer's day. It was so cold, like ice even, but I didn't feel the instinctive need to flinch back away from it. If anything it was cold yes, but strangely comforting to me.

A soft, lyrical humming started up, the sound seeming to reverberate at my core. I started swaying back and forth in time with the sound, like a pendulum slowly rocking from side to side. It wasn't even a conscious thought, and the cold veil seemed to rise and pulsate in time with it as well.

The sound suddenly cut off, and Aurora was speaking to me. "There you go, now they're moving with you."

My eyes popped open and were drawn to the thin wisps of shadows arching up off the ground in winding tendrils, each one swaying to the beat of the song that was still stuck in my mind. But as soon as I consciously realized I could no longer hear it physically their rhythmic swaying stopped instantly, and they just seemed to fold in on themselves and expand continuously.

Aurora smiled at me proudly. "Excellent, let's continue with this song for now, and raise the beat in a bit to something more upbeat, ok?"

I blinked. "Ok… Why are we singing though?"

"Because music is a key part of our culture and inner workings, and despite our size dancing was a common practice as well."

"Really? I bet it was bad for whatever structure you were trying to dance in though." I joked.

"The earth and metal elements built everything like tanks, that way they could endure our size and strength. That's why most of the structures that weren't horribly damaged are still standing… including the palace." She trailed off on the last part and scowled, the water in the lake started churning and bubbling, as if she was channeling her ire into it.

Obviously the thoughts of her mother were pissing her off again, so I pushed my own uncertainties aside and carefully approached her. I wasn't sure what to do… it wasn't like I could hug her, and I didn't know what she'd like, or whether she'd like any contact at all. So I sort of hovered in front of her, unsure of what to do so I just did what came naturally to me and rubbed my face along the side of her neck. "You're not responsible for what she did. We all make mistakes ourselves, but that's all we have to own up to. Not the mistakes of others."

She wrapped her neck around mine and sighed sadly. "I... I know... but... it's... I don't know why, I just... it feels natural to feel responsible, there's no one else to take the blame... except... except my brother... but he has no understanding of mercy, shame or guilt... so all the deaths my mother caused, rest on my back alone..."

I pulled back and gave her a narrow stare. "No you don't. You're not responsible in any way for what she, or anyone else did. That's now how the world works! The only one responsible for doing something is the person who did it! Evil doesn't run in your blood! It's something you choose for yourself! She willingly chose to do the things she did despite the consequences, well before you were even born! It is not your fault!"

"I was laid though... and... I was the runt of the cluster... Had the virus not been unleashed... I wouldn't be here…"

"Well then one good thing did come of all this death and destruction. Sometimes even in the darkest of moments there's one small glimmer of light, and that's all that's needed to illuminate the darkness."

She looked away dejectedly. "That may be true in your opinion... but being a runt in a royal cluster... especially the 69th, meant I was... meant to be ritually devoured by the eldest sibling... to purge weakness from the bloodline."

Before I could comprehend it my servo was slamming into her face, a loud slap ringing out as I literally bitch slapped the shit out of her. My mouth was running just as fast, without me even having time to form a coherent thought. "Just because those assholes followed that fucked up logic doesn't make it right dammit! I think we've all realized that your mom was a crazy ass bitch, who followed fucking insane teachings because she was a half brained fucking moron! So stop living your life by what that psychotic bitch would've done! She's dead and dying was the only positive thing she ever fucking did!"

She jerked back and cupped the side of her face, which had rivulets of silver blood leaking from between her claws. "B-But…"

I growled. "No buts! Can you sit there and tell me that all the fucked up ritual shit you've seen was right? That it was justifiable? That's what you're saying about what was supposed to happen to you! Would you side with someone that wanted to do that to anyone else? Would you justify it?"

She ducked her head away, pulling back into herself and looking out to the lake instead. "N-no… but… it still… it still hurts so much… to know I had so little value… Kiol couldn't even do anything to defend me… and he'd lost the will to even try to protect us… my own father was too drained… he just let Aunty Lia steal me away, didn't even try and convince her to take my siblings… I still don't know why she chose me… the runt of the nest… the others would have been far stronger and more capable than me…"

"Did you ever stop to think that the reason he gave you up was to save you from that?" I shot back. "Or did you think that maybe the reason that Grandma took you was the same? Just because you're the runt doesn't mean that you were never meant to match any of your siblings! A runt can grow big and strong with proper guidance and care! You're the only one that can set limitations for yourself! Not people who are long dead! Stop letting those stupid rituals and opinions dictate your view of yourself! There's a reason you're still here, there's a reason that we're all still here! Figure it out!" I was so angry, not really at her or anything, but the beliefs she was clinging to so strongly. Things that didn't have to dictate the life she lived now!

The shadows arching up into the air responded to my rising ire, shooting higher off the ground and twisting into one large mass above me. I couldn't seem to calm down no matter how hard I tried, and this seemed to cause more to slither down from the dense undergrowth, like wispy black hands seeping out of hell itself. As they came closer they slithered up off the ground like multiple winding vortexes being drawn to the billowing mass that seemed to fold into itself and become almost solid looking, before it shot forward and slammed into the ground. The impact caused the ground to break and shatter, a large crater forming within a second, as the area plants and life around began to wither and wilt away.

That shocked me, but not as much as cousin's reaction did. Aurora actually jumped back with a startled squeak, staring at the crater with an awed, yet confused expression.

I didn't really understand what the big deal was, besides the fact that the shadows had literally sucked the life out of everything. Now that was scary… But she knew grandma, so it shouldn't have shocked her much right? "Um… are you okay?"

She gaped at me. "You... that... it... it was solid... it left an impact! Ier! You... this is incredible!"

Now I was more confused. "It's… not supposed to do that…?"

"No! But... you did! It! Not even master Shadows like aunty could make their shadows have a physical impact! Oh Ancients above! This... eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" She suddenly flopped down on her side and started rolling and squealing. "Double backup! It... it must be!"

Ok… I was still kind of confused.

She seemed to sense this because she stopped laughing and sat up. "Maybe I should explain. You see, double backup is a theory from way back when. It declares that if a hatchling has two generations of the same element leading directly into them, then the theory is the hatchling has the potential of wielding a greater strength parameter in regards to their element... No one really bothered to look much further into it than that." She admitted. "In truth it's something that fascinates me, being the hatchling of a Light and Lightning element, and my grandparents being... oh Primus... a Light, a... grandfather on my mother's side was a lightning as well... huh... if I was one of their first thirty eggs I would of, in theory, been susceptible to being a double back up too... but that would mean I wouldn't be a water... yeah... nah... I'm happy as I am... and I went on a rambling tirade again... apologies... mind ran away there... let's try getting back to work with this element of yours, shall we?"

"Err… ok… not sure what all that was about but we might as well." I responded, watching as Aurora righted herself and moved back into her cross legged position, seeing as I was still in said position I remained as I was.

"Alright… so… hmm, now we've made the discovery you can solidify your element… err, let's try and see what we can do with it, sound good to you?" Aurora asked, gesturing to the crater at my side and the withered plant life around it.

I just nodded, if this stuff was going to help me protect myself, I'd learn to perfect it, I had to.

I wasn't going to sit on the sidelines anymore.

* * *

**(One month later)**

Aurora was practically watching me like a hawk for the entirety of our flight to the capital. Why were we going to the capital? Mostly me wanting to kick Gia's throne like Aurora did sometimes. It was the closest thing we had to taking our frustrations out on her, and that was better than nothing. If she was alive I would've loved to just drag my claws down her fucking face!

The throne room looked no different than when I was here with my dad, during the period where I fully assimilated… other than the bodies… no more than piles of rubble dotting the floor. Crystallized bones were sticking out of them here and there, and there was a musky smell permeating the room. Luckily bodies that turned to rock had no smell… otherwise it would stink even worse than dust and mildew in here.

"I was here in that… dream. But there weren't any bodies then." I commented as I sidestepped around one of said bodies. We were in our Cybertronian forms so it was much easier for me to move around, seeing as being bipedal was more natural for me at present.

"Most likely because your father didn't want you to see them and be traumatized the first time you two were actually able to talk." Aurora answered, seemingly unphased by the level of dead bodies she was stepping around.

"Well I would like to think that, meeting was already pretty emotional as it is. All the dead bodies would've just given me nightmares about what should be a good memory."

"Likely why he did it then, I'm not going to claim that I have any understanding of what goes on in your father's head though. He's an enigma hat cousin of mine."

I shrugged as we approached Gia's throne, still scuffed all to hell from being beaten on. "Well you probably have a better understanding than me. You've known him a lot longer than I have."

"Not really. You're both incredibly massive enigmas to me if I'm being honest. Your personalities are actually a lot alike, as in you take after him more than anyone else."

That actually brought me up short as I lifted my leg and went to kick the ever loving shit out of Gia's throne. "Really? I never would've thought I acted anything like a God… even if said God is my father. I thought maybe I took after my mom." I put my ped down and sighed dejectedly. How was I supposed to know if I was like her at all? I didn't know the first thing about her… I caught Aurora tensing slightly at the mention of my mom. Why the hell wasn't she being anywhere near as chatty about her? That was why I got the feeling she knew more than she was letting on and didn't want to tell me… "Why is it that whenever I mention my mom you just shut down? Wanna do me a fucking favor and actually tell me what you know about her?!"

"Um, well, I don't know what she was like, I just know that she's your mother, and was my father's sister. Hence why we're both cousins, and niece/aunt in the family tree in all of its' crookedness. And well, Praxi and Aunty have never wanted to talk about her, I've just been told to focus on the relatives you can interact with, hence why I don't also mention Auntie's mate, your grandmother. Does that make sense? Or was I just nonsensical in my rambling there?" She admitted, averting her optics to the towering walls around us, and the faint markings of what were, I assume, murals.

My spirits fell a bit at her admittance to not knowing anything about my mom at all… But then something else she said clicked in place in my head, and I gaped at her a bit. "Wait your dad is my Uncle?!"

"Yes, my father, Kiol, was your mother's older brother. He sent her to live with Liara to keep her out of Gia's greedy claws…" Aurora responded, while trying not to step on a notably larger stone mound, which oddly enough had rusted and mangled pieces of metal covering it… must have been iron. "Hi Zyriun." She greeted the remains casually.

My optics bugged out a bit. "That's my Great Aunt's fucking body?!"

"Well her remains had to be somewhere right?"

"You say that so fucking casually!"

"It's a habit of mine to greet her former body."

I glanced down at the mangled remains and was torn between shuddering and… I don't even know. All that was left of my crazy cat lady relative's old body was… shreds! "What the hell happened to her?!"

"She was double teamed by my mother and brother, and torn to pieces… and there were most likely a few other ferals involved as well. But, she held her own for a while and beat the shit out of them, like a badass."

Well shit… the crazy cat lady was a badass! Still… she was in like… a million tiny pieces… What a horrible way to die. "I'm gonna give her some catnip when I go home. She deserves it."

"For the love of the Ancients, please do not do that! Emily once did that and she went on a crazed, drug induced rampage that lasted for months. It was not pretty…"

I held my servos up. "Point taken. No catnip for the crazy cat lady."

"Thank you. Something about the chemicals in that stuff is really bad for us. Who would've thought that something that evolved on Earth of all places, could have such a profound effect on us? Or maybe it's just the catnip that Emily grows… who knows what she does to that stuff?"

"I really don't want to know." It was on a need to know basis, and I didn't need to know. I sighed and turned back towards Gia's throne, staring at it for a moment before I kicked the base of it, hard enough to put a nice sized crack in it. But this thing was fragging huge! It could take us all day to bust it to bits in this form…

"Titan forms would make it a lot easier, but it'll still probably take us a while." She commented, while delivering a harsh kick of her own to it. "Then again, beating on something my mother used so often is part of how I relieve stress. So…"

Leave it for later. "Ok. Something tells me I might be getting use out of it too so I won't break it too badly." But I did kick it a few more times, reveling in the way the damn thing started crumbling where I repeatedly struck it. Given the sheer size it wasn't much, but it sure as hell made me feel a lot better.

After a few minutes of it I grew bored though and turned to look out over the rest of the throne room, more specifically… all the bodies. There were just parts of rock scattered everywhere… well to someone that didn't know better that's all they would see. It was morbid to think that so many died in one room…

A sudden movement from the doorway caught my attention, and I glanced up in time to see something go scampering passed the door… something really tiny. Oh not again…

No sooner had I thought that, a tiny head peeked around the corner and stared at me. This time the little one wasn't all… chewed up and mutilated like the ones in the market town. It was just a tiny, dark red and light blue thing, with these big, gold eyes which stared at me inquisitively for a moment before it emitted this high pitched chirp and came scampering right up to Aurora's peds. And she, of course, did not notice shit… Should I say something…?

Before I could an entire horde of ghostly baby Titans came bolting into the room, like a sea of multiple hues of different colors blurring together as they closed in. I jolted and jumped up onto the nearest pillar, climbing about halfway up it as about half of them broke off and came at me. "Aurora get off the floor!" I screeched at her. They were standing at the bottom of the pillar, staring up at me curiously. But they were freaking dead and this was weirding me out!

Aurora glanced up at me in confusion. "Ier? What are you doing?"

"They're all over the floor!"

"What? Who's all over the floor? It's just us in here… well that and the bodies but…"

"I can't handle seeing dead things!"

"Oh it's that… What are you seeing?"

"Dead hatchlings!"

"Ohhh… right… Um, what colors do they have?"

I glared at her, my claws dripping the pillar for dear life! "They're like red, blue, white… like the American flag! Why the hell does it even matter?!"

"Oh… Oh… my… I, I never knew they were here… Ier! They're not going to hurt you! They're… They're family!"She shouted up, before turning her attention down to the floor. "Where are they! Am I stepping on them? How many are there! There should be sixty seven!" She was suddenly acting like the floor was made of hot coals, turning around and around like a spinning top, looking for the dead hatchlings she couldn't actually see.

"I don't know how many there are! I didn't bother counting!" That was the last fragging thing on my mind at the moment! Of course she wouldn't be freaking out because she wasn't seeing dead infants scampering around by her peds! Uhh… quite a few were still hanging around the base of the pillar watching me… How the pit was I supposed to handle this?!

Then, as if it was the most normal thing in the world, Aurora started making these odd clicking chirps. The little ones all responded to it, and went scampering over to her, following her as she led them to one corner of the large throne room and laid down on her underbelly. Right... like this day couldn't get weirder at this point!

They at least seemed more interested in crowding around her, so I slowly slid down the pillar and put my peds back on the floor. The little ones now much more invested in clicking and chirping right back at her, some even jumping up as she lowered her head down, all she saw was the cracked floor, and ended up phazing her head through the jumping ones as she continued to coo and chirp at them.

I grumbled, still shaking a bit from the fright seeing them had given me. How did anyone ever get used to seeing the dead walking around as if they were still alive? How the hell did Grandma deal with this shit? It freaked me out!

At least she seemed unbothered by it for the most part, probably because she couldn't see anything. If I wasn't the one seeing it, and she didn't know that I could, I might think she was crazy at the moment. Eh… I really needed to get out of this room…

"Uhh… while you do that I'm gonna… go and poke around a bit." That would be easier to handle than being faced with my… dead cousins. At least, from what I'd seen in the last month, there weren't crazed, dead adults hanging around anywhere. Not here either, seeing as there were bodies everywhere and not one sign of anything else.

"Ugh, yeah ok, ok which of you got to see daddy? Was he a good daddy?"

I sighed and slowly made my way out, ignoring her talking to them since I knew she couldn't hear them. But I could, even if I didn't know what they were saying. It was all just a bunch of noise to me honestly, maybe if I wasn't so creeped out it wouldn't have been though.

Not that the empty, dirty, dark and dingy halls were much better… but there weren't ghosts crowding me out here. I wasn't really sure how the ability worked really… and Granny hadn't been back to visit so I couldn't really ask her either. Oh well, I'd most likely figure it out at some point whether I wanted to or not. But for now I just wandered aimlessly through the halls with no real destination in mind in an attempt to get my breathing in check. Talk about almost having another panic attack!

I just had to focus on something else! Like… uh… hmm… the barely visible murals on the walls? As in all over every inch of this fucking place! They were dirty and hard to see, but I stopped once I was a good distance from the throne room and carefully wiped some of the gunk off of the wall so I could see.

It was hard to make it out… I had to squint to see through all the grime that was caked into the crevices, but I managed to make out several forms that looked strangely familiar. Not personally, but their body type itself… Three, each with four wings, two tails, long necks… like me… They were strikers? The colors had long since faded from the mural so I couldn't see what colors they were, but this was the first thing I'd seen about them the entire time I'd been here… They seemed to be bound in chains for some reason… Were they criminals or something?

There was an inscription below the mural, all faded yet I could still make out the claw marks that made it up. _**'As the first decree of the new mighty queen, all Strikers, unworthy fusions of the great Speed and Stealth classes, are to be arrested and brought to the great palace, and be executed , in response to the assassination of the late queen.'**_

My optics widened as my servo started shaking after reading it. They… made it illegal to be a striker? How the hell did someone say that you were to be executed just for being born a certain way?! That was fucking insane! Wait… was that why no one would tell me what the hell a striker was exactly? Well if it were me… I don't think I would want to talk about that topic either… unless I had to.

I slowly stepped back and turned to look down the hall, still shaking as everything clicked into place in my head. If I would've been born before the virus I most likely would've been executed at birth or something! I wasn't sure which was worse! Someone being a slave because of their element, or being executed for what they looked like! Was anything in this damn society not twisted beyond all fucking hell?!

I shook my helm and let it fall back against the wall, trying to calm myself down from the whirring mess of emotions I was feeling. What was I even feeling right now? Disgust? Fear? Maybe some twisted kind of betrayal? Why that last one? I didn't even know… All I knew was that things were even worse than I first thought…

Something from further down the corridor caught my eye… claw marks, long and frantic… like someone had been dragged away...

A shudder went down my back and all the way to the blades which tipped my tails. What crime had they committed? A striker? Or someone with a mentally unsound mind? Grandma?

I didn't want to know the answer… yet I began moving, following the claw marks, trying to ignore the ever more ominous and threatening murals on the walls… what looked like hatchlings being sold for whatever currency they had, what looked like a speed class packed high like a pack mule, following similarly built brethren as one, decorated with lightning bolts struck them. Behind my eyes a flash, someone screaming, a bark and order to move faster… get up… leave them, take their haul as your own.

I tried to shake the image away, a mural further down looked like it had been torn apart and partially melted. Another flash, a dark ruby and grey Titan, his eyes wide as he set the mural ablaze when one of the ones dragging him jumped out of the way.

A moment later a club tipped tail was brought down between his… four wings… he went limp after the sounds of cracking bones ended.

They dragged him down the corridor.

The next mural I didn't dare look at, but there was still a flash… a mother screaming as her hatchlings were carried away down this corridor.

I didn't want to know what was down here anymore… light didn't reach here… ancient torches had long since burnt out… the darkness tried to comfort me, wrapping around me like a blanket… like grandma… but like my body was in a trance… I kept walking… the air of death was quickly growing as the corridor continued to dip downwards… how long had I been walking? Why did I leave Aurora and her dead siblings? She would of stopped me going down here…

Would she?

Did she know about this?

Unless Grandma told her I seriously doubted she knew in exact detail what happened here… Kinda would explain why she never wanted to talk about it… But it was getting harder to focus on her or what she was doing, as more flashes of fragmented images passed through my mind so fast that most were a blur. I found it hard to keep thinking straight… it was like when you kept speeding through the channels on a TV and only caught brief snippets of what was actually happening, only this time I was walking… almost like I was both here, moving down the corridor, but in two different times as they melded into one. I could see it then in my mind, and even as if the images were festering in my eyes, yet I could still see, as if I was trapped in an out of body experience. That was when I spotted the towering archway ahead, decorated with… teeth… horns… claws… I was strides away when I heard it… chanting… there was no one there… just me… Ro… and her baby brothers and sisters… right?

We were alone… on a planet scarred and torn by an event which all but wiped out our kind… yet… why was there chanting? What were they chanting?

Another flash… it was the ruby and grey again, his body wrapped in chains as they hauled him through the arch way… the two dragging him looking like daddy… only with markings like lightning bolts adorning their bodies in random places… and armored… just like Auntie…

Had she dragged people away? Down this corridor which reeked of death even after all this time?To me, trapped in this moment, I'd been dragged so far into it that I couldn't discern reality anymore… so I could smell the stench… of something… the only thing I could compare it to was rotting flesh. It gagged me because it was so strong…

I followed them… I probably shouldn't have done it… If I was smart I would've turned back, because I had a sinking suspicion as to where this was going. But, as if I was being pulled by some force I couldn't break, I followed them all the way outside… The bright sun from up above, completely absent from the Valuma I knew, cast a bright glow on a courtyard that was overflowing with more Titans than I cared to count. All of them roaring and cheering as the red and grey was dragged out to a slab of cracked and punctured granite like block.

Around the courtyard were the skeletal faces of Titans who'd died, pierced by pikes that were sticking out of the ground… It didn't escape my notice that a good majority looked like me… and the Titan they were chaining to the block… There were holes all over their skulls, like something had torn through them… How the fuck did they die?!

I whipped back around to look at the block when an unholy screeching nearly shattered my mind from the sheer volume of it. The one they had in chains was screeching and snapping at the two who'd dragged him out, one of which was holding a long, cylindrical piece of metal. I wasn't sure what they were planning to do with it, but the look in the male's dark green eyes spoke of pure terror. He was in a frenzy, clawing and struggling to get away now that he had apparently recovered from his injury. But it did him absolutely no good, as the other grabbed his face and forcefully pried his jaws open and turned to present his gaping mouth to the other one. While he continued to thrash, belching another burst of fire until a harsh kick to the chest cut him off.

"Last words?"

"Ugh… yeah… I'll be waiting for all of you in the underworld! Especially you Gia! You're the one who should be chained here! You monster!" He was kicked in the head this time, and his jaws pried back open.

"You useless welp! Speak not such filthy words to our mighty queen!" The one holding the pole yelled, before ramming it down his throat.

I took a mortified step back as he gagged and thrashed, trying to dislodge the pole as they pushed it further down, as a sickening sound began screeching across the now dead silent courtyard, like metal on metal being forced at a high rate against each other.

I felt something in my throat twist when I realized what was making that sound. It was the blades, the rings of butcher knife sharp rotating pieces of death which sliced up whatever we ate into tiny little pieces of mush.

And for some reason, they weren't breaking the pole like they would a boulder.

He was beginning to really scream now, thrashing and bucking under the heavy chains which gave him no true movement.

It went on for a few more agonizing moments, before something snapped.

I could only watch on as his throat was torn apart from the inside out… ripping through the heavy duty scales like paper, splattering the ground with silver blood as the blades shot out in all directions, some heading for the crowd, but were quickly stopped mid air by some of the ground members… magnetisms I believe…

I wasn't interested in the crowd though, only watching as the pole was ripped out of the now lifeless body and dropped into a bucket of water to clean of the blood and flesh. Not a single part chipped.

Then, his body twitched.

One of the two huffed and looked up to a balcony which towered over the courtyard. "Apologies my queen, he still moves."

My head snapped up, and took in the sight of a smirking snow white and ocean blue Titan, her horns curved around her head like bull horns which were lined with what looked like ornaments which shone just as much as the rest of her.

It was Gia, her smirk was something so crooked it made my furnace flicker painfully as she rolled her shoulders and glanced down with her stormy blue eyes to the one at her side, a smaller male of the same design, only with red markings. "Oh… it's alright, Uras would love to see a closing act, as would I Do whatever you wish, but I want to dine on his tongue tonight, such a foul organ should hold quite the exotic taste." She purred, staring at his body like a starved monster.

"Mother! Mother! I want his face! I want his face on my wall!" The male, who I now knew to be Unicron looked up at the bitch with a twisted smile…

"Of course! Skin him of his hide! And feed the scraps to the Lake guardians, they haven't had such a delicacy in a while." She called after nuzzling her son.

Oh fuck… they were even more twisted than I thought!

"Love... What ever is the matter? You look pale..." She then cooed to the crimson red and dark blue one standing on her other side… Kiol. "You should be used to it by now, after all, I love showing you what I plan to do with that dear sister of yours you slipped behind my back. Don't worry, I'll let you keep her skull once she's been dissected for all of her uses. You know, her hide to replace your old book coverings, her claws as a lovely necklace I plan to commision, and her horns a new crown maybe? Uras broke my old one, didn't you my sweet little thing?" She cooed the last part, I'd flown up to listen to her words as they didn't carry down to the block where they were already stripping his corpse of its hide as the crowd watched on in silence.

He looked a mess, his chest heaving and a tormented grimace on his crimson and dark blue bolt marked face. "Gia… I wish to go inside…"

"Inside? Nonsense! Fresh air is always good for you while you're carrying!" She took a deep breath then and sighed in something akin to ecstasy. "Just smell that, freshly spilled blood has to be one of my favourite scents… well… after your musk mid passionate bought!"

"Passion? Gia the only reason I allow you near me… no… I don't, you have your minds immobilize me so you can do whatever the fuck you want with me!" Kiol suddenly snapped, a charge of electricity running through his body, namely from the his horns which ran down his neck like daddy's.

Gia snarled in response. "Because you're still so damn hung up over that useless pile of flesh that is my sister! I have given you everything Kiol! Power! A son! And the love of the most powerful Titan in existence!"

"Power?! I'm your pet! That's what you treat me as! Or do you see me more as a breeding bitch so that you can feed our _**'sons'**_ love for eating hatchlings!"

I gagged and nearly threw up at the implications that Unicron ate his younger brothers and sisters! What the fuck was wrong with these two?! And my poor fucking Uncle had to live with this?! Shit! I didn't even really know the guy and I wanted to kill everyone here but him, just so that he could get away from this hellhole!

My head was starting to spin, and my breathing was speeding up from the panic slowly creeping through me… Seeing all this happening, and hearing the twisted things Gia and Unicron were spewing was just… it was making me sick! They were monsters! Who could eat their own siblings like that?! And what kind of mother just smiled and let it happen?!

This was Aurora's mother… now I understood why she felt like she did, had she hatched, that freak would have made her his lunch… those babies she was playing with… oh Ancients…

They were her brothers and sisters.

They hadn't been as lucky as their sister.

I looked to Kiol again, his body slammed up against the wall and her jaws on his neck to hold him there as he stood frozen, the impact having forced his neck, well they were more like twisted spikes, against the wall, causing him to let off a hiss of pain as they were pushed into an unnatural position.

"The only reason you're not dead, is because of how much I looovvveeee you! And those hatchlings you cling to whenever they hatch? I was just going to sell them anyway! I'm being merciful Kiol, remember that." She declared when she let him go, leaving him to crumble to the ground before she walked over him and away from the balcony.

He looked so broken… I was filled with such sadness when I looked at him… laying there like he was absolutely defeated… I just wanted to snatch him from this horrid place and take him back with me to the present, where he didn't have these monsters surrounding him, hounding him.

I almost wanted to stay here with him… but the world around me seemed to shimmer, then shatter completely. The last thing I saw and heard was Kiol clutching his chest and emitting this pained keening sound…

Not the most comforting thing to witness…

There was no more time to contemplate it as I came back to the present, still standing on the same balcony… I actually looked right at where he'd been, like I still thought he'd be there but… he wasn't… And the structure was decrepit and dirty again, from trillions of years.

I wanted him here… to show him that at least one of his hatchlings made it, and grew up, got to live a moderately decent life from what I could tell, and I wanted him to be able to love something he created which didn't end up as the chaos bringer. But I knew it wasn't possible… Everything was just so… fucked up…

Tears welled up in my optics and I shook my helm sadly, not even trying to stop it as they spilled down my cheeks.

A presence behind me had me turning to see grandma, and it took only moments to realize she wasn't covered in her normal smoke cloud, allowing me to see her fully.

She was identical to Gia, except for her color, the scars she bore all over her body, and the sorrowful expression on her face.

"I know what you saw." Her voice was just as hea-essence breaking as her expression as she brought her wings up to wrap around me. "I'm sorry this is how you found out… I guess you should know the truth then… about your mother…"

I pulled back and shook my head, I didn't want to hear it, but grandma wasn't backing down.

"We hid her, so deep into the void beyond the kingdom… we thought she'd be safe. It was only days after you were laid that they attacked one of our colonies. We were trying to fight them off… then they suddenly retreated… it had all been a diversion… the caretakers for the nursery were able to protect yours and your siblings eggs but… they dragged her away... Afterwards, Praxi took on the role of protecting you all, day in, day out… but we still lost her… on that plinth…"

I took a step back away from her and shook my head as I tried to shake off the memory of what I'd seen happen… The thought that it happened to my mother… I didn't even know what she looked like, yet my mind was already trying to conjure up the horrible images of what happened that day even though I didn't know what she even looked like. So my mind ran rampant and was overwhelmed with the scene of another Titan suffering the same fate, only it was warped to what my perception of what she would look like was. Even if it wasn't right, the image of her body being held down was even too much, flashes of red and blue patches appeared in my peripherals. Higher pitched screeches echoing through my head as if I'd been there and heard them myself…

I backed further away from the plinth, then, turned, and ran.

I couldn't be there anymore, couldn't think about what had happened there… to my class… to my mother… to anyone who was given such a sentence.

"Ier!" I heard Granny shout, but she didn't follow, probably wanting to give me space…

I ran through the balcony door and smashed into the first thing I came into contact with, a wall that I ended up crashing right through, stone exploding outwards as I tore off down the corridor. I didn't have a real destination in mind… my thoughts and emotions were so out of control. Disgust, pain, sorrow, loss, and a twisted sense of guilt that I couldn't seem to control.

All I could think was that her death was somehow my fault, that I'd done something wrong! If they'd never had us then they wouldn't have had to stay in one place! That made it so much easier to find her! Our existence had been her downfall… her end...

I let off a bellow, slamming my fist into what used to be a mural, getting an odd sense of satisfaction at watching it crumble to the ground. The words were unknown to me, but I didn't even want to know what horrid truth it held.

I was sick of it, sick of what my kind were like, what they could become.

Monsters…

We were all monsters, just waiting to lash out and destroy everything…?

Were we?

They weren't all bad, Granny fought for her freedom and the freedom of her element, and all others from the Lights.

Hariun and Zyirun went against their Queen to save Granny.

Daddy created the Cybertronian race to try righting the wrongs of his own. He tried creating something good…

Ro… I'm not sure what kind of things she's done, but creating a safe refuge for humans who deserved far better than what they were given by their own kind had to mean something right?

And Uncle… all he wanted was be free to love who he wanted. He just wanted to get away from Gia and be with his sister, with Granny… All he wanted was family… Yet Gia had taken that all away from him, in every sense of the word.

That tyrannical, evil, vindictive bitch… All I wanted to do was get a hold of her so I could force her to feel the pain of hopelessness! The same thing she'd subjected my family, and everyone else to just because she felt she had the right to decide someone else's fate just based on the circumstances of their birth!

I raked my claws down the wall, leaving a deep trail in the cold stone that sparked when I suddenly sped up and swung at a pillar and smashed it in half, snarling and kicking a piece of rubble that fell at another mural down the hall. As sad as it was, seeing it smash the aged etching made me feel even more satisfied, though anger quickly burned it all away as quickly as it'd come…

What good would destroying old paintings or furniture do? It wasn't going to change anything! Wasn't going to bring my mother back! It wouldn't change anything in this place, not the memories, the pain, nothing…

I deflated a bit and closed my eyes, shaking my helm and whimpering a bit. Doing it made me feel weak, and for the moment I was at least glad I was alone. Everything about this last month or so left me feeling like I was out of place, or not meant to belong. I didn't want Aurora or Granny to see me having a breakdown like this… What a disappointment I was turning out to be...Crying like a child, like it would change anything.

I lashed out again, my tails slicing through a wall, leaving an 'x' shaped mark, then, I spun, and slammed my fist through it, letting off an anguished cry at my own internal turmoil, as the wall cracked and crumbled away.

It didn't even phase me when it crumbled away and revealed a dark, closed off space, at least until I stopped panting and took note of the moderately sized room that was now before me.

Especially the fact that a shredded body lay before me, tucked away in the corner of the room, curled up on a slab of stone and preserved unlike the others. Meaning I could see his face, even his closed eyes and pained grimace.

The colors were unmistakeable, the markings… the shattered egg shells whose colors had long since faded. I realized with a start that this was Kiol… and those must've been… his hatchlings… Or what was left of them. This was all that was left of Aurora's clutch...

It was clear to me that he didn't fight whatever happened here. There was no real sign of a scuffle, just claw marks in the immediate area where his body lay. Meaning, he just laid there and endured whatever ripped him apart. Why…?

Had he really just laid down and let them kill him? It was sad to think that he'd just given up and let it happen like that… but then again, with that bitch for a mate and the world going to hell why would anyone keep fighting? Especially when he'd continuously lose hatchlings to his own son's demented hunger? That sick bastard…

A thought occurred to me and I turned to look back out into the hall, hoping that Aurora didn't come looking for me and see this. I wasn't sure how she'd react to it honestly, and I didn't want to be responsible for her suffering more. I glanced down at his body and sighed, kneeling to run my claws over his face in a gentle touch. "You know Uncle… Aurora made it. I don't know if you know that name or who it is, so I'll explain I guess. You see, that egg that Granny Liara took actually hatched. Bet you weren't expecting that huh?" I smiled shakily, tears trickling down my cheeks. But I was beyond trying to stop it now… "I think Granny has been keeping an eye on her, and so has her adoptive mother Harp. She's got lots of siblings too, so there are lots of people that are watching out for her so you don't have to be worried." It occurred to me that I was actually having a conversation with a corpse… and he couldn't even hear what I was saying… I felt a little silly but it kind of made me feel a little better. I shook my helm and sighed, picking up what looked to be one of his horns that had been ripped from the top of his skull. For a moment I held it in my servos and stared at his face sadly. "I don't know whether to be happy that you're not suffering anymore… or sad to know that all you ever did was suffer. I hope you're okay wherever you are."

I stood up and cradled the piece I had of him to my chassis. Maybe I should give it to Aurora? Would she want a piece of her dad? Or would that upset her even more?

"Ier! Ier! Where are you!?"

My helm snapped up when I heard Aurora's voice, and I reflexively stuck the horn in my subspace and raced out of the room and down the hall, trying to get as far from that room as possible. I turned a corner and nearly ran face first into her, but at least the dead ones weren't following her anymore. "Hey… I uh… got a little lost."

She stared at me. "I heard the crashes… I followed your scent down to the lower levels, you don't have to pretend you didn't see what you did, Aunty was still there when I got there."

"I'm fine." I didn't try to make myself look like it, but I wasn't going to talk about it either. If I did I might cry and I already felt like a pathetic disappointment as it was.

Before I could take in what she was doing, she'd pulled me into a tight hug, our two metal bodies clashing at points, but otherwise felt far better than our real forms when we tried to hug. "I know it hurts Ier, I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the Strikers… what happened to them… but I didn't want to reveal too much at once, I didn't want to hurt you..." She mumbled, rubbing the side of her helm against mine in an attempt to comfort me.

Honestly, being angry at her was the last thing on my mind. If I was her I wouldn't have wanted to tell someone else that either, especially given the ramifications. It did hurt… seeing it, hearing it, knowing. Just remembering the screams I'd heard in that vision, and imagining my mom being the one tied down to that damn block again… Or thinking of Uncle and how he died so willingly because that was better than facing another day living… I tried not to, but I started crying again. My lips quivering as thick rivulets cascaded down my cheeks, as I keened and sobbed quietly. I wanted to go home… I didn't want to be surrounded by all this anymore… I wanted my twins… I wanted my Opi and Dad… I wanted my human family… I wanted someone that I didn't feel like a burden to, to tell me it was ok. Even if it really wasn't and I was slowly starting to realize that the Universe was far more fucked up than anything I could've realized.

Aurora just held me tighter, swaying from side to side as her wings came down and wrapped around me. "I think it's time I took you home… you've been through enough."

"No. I'm not ready to go home remember?" I sniffled and wiped my optics. "Sire told me how dangerous untrained Titans can be…"

"Ier, I will carry you on my back if I have to, actually that would probably be preferable. If that's your concern, I'll stay on Earth with you for a while, to ensure you're able to settle back in, explain as much as I can to the… Autobots, I have faith in you Ier, you're strong. You'll be fine."

I scoffed at the notion of me being strong. "I'm not strong. Ask anyone."

She just huffed and pushed back to stare me down. "Really? Well they certainly have a warped perspective on life now don't they?"

"Maybe."

"Ier, trust me, I know what strength is, I've had the luck of knowing thousands of people, humans or otherwise, with such strength in their beating hearts, that they could of done anything they set their mind to, and so far, all I've seen, is a young, brilliant and beautiful Titan, rise out of the fear of the unknown and learnt faster, accepted more, seen more and done more than I ever could in the same amount of time. I'm proud of you, Lia's proud of you, heck Praxi was proud of you the moment you jumped off his head mid hatching and never stopped for a second!" She chuckled the last part. "My task, was to teach you how to be a Titan, and get you ready, well, I think you're ready. Maybe not for the full flight, so, I'm going to go grab Aunty, I can still feel her nearby, let's see what we can do about getting you and me a lift to your home? Ok?" With that she let go and broke into a blinding sprint down the corridor, crashing into the wall when she took a harsh turn, not even breaking her stride as she disappeared from view.

I slowly ambled back in the direction I knew the courtyard to be, briskly walking since I was in no hurry to get back. It took me a minute or so to get there, and Aurora was talking to Grandma when I got there.

"It's time Aunty, she's seen enough, we can't keep her here any longer when all it's doing is distressing her. I'll stay with her another week or so then I'll come home, and from what you've just told me… about the Amazon, and all that, I don't think we should stay at this stage any longer then about three seconds. Ancients I'm going to have Emily's helm when I get back, but Ier still needs to adjust to her own world." Aurora was pressing.

Liara stood listening, before turning to me when she noticed me. "Say no more child, I agree. Ierena, pack your non-existent things, I'm opening a vortex to your world. That is, if you believe yourself it is time for you to return to your home. Either decision, we will not judge you for."

"Would you run away? Because that's what I feel like I'd be doing. Even if I go back now, I'll probably continue to see things right?"

"To a far lesser degree, and less… dramatically horrifying visions. This land has been tainted with the evils which occurred here, resulting in an increase in the visions you have seen. Not all visions result in one wishing to rip their own eyes out."

I slumped a bit dejectedly. "If I can't even face this… how am I supposed to be useful for anything at all? I'll just keep letting you both down."

They exchanged a concerned look before Granny stepped forward, and it was only then that I realized only parts of her were solid, her upper arms, legs, torso and wings were already fading. "Ierena, I want you to listen to me, shadow, to shadow, these visions, may seem painful now, for they are both blessing, and curse, but you are still young. When I was first receiving my visions, all I ever saw was the moment my mother was murdered, and as morbid as it may sound. The day I died on that newly formed planet from the wounds my sister put upon me, I knew of my demise, yet I still fought, I refused to let my death be in vain. And now, you have the chance to use your visions like I used mine, yes they are painful, but they will also steer you in the right direction when all seems hopeless and lost. I saw, only once, but I saw you, believe it or not, not as how you are now, but ahead in time still. I saw you, right after we discovered your mother had been taken from us, and ever since, that glimpse of you standing tall and proud, has given me a hope like none other, for you were not bound in chains, you were not hiding from oppression, you were standing out, strong and defiant. You may feel like you cannot go on, but I know, you will. You have an essence in that chassis which pulses so fiercely underneath that shell, and I cannot wait to see when you finally discover who you are. You are not weak, you are strong. You are not a burden on us, we are all equal in this, you, me, Aurora, Harp, Praxi, Aurora's unstable mess of a family for crying out loud, and all the ones waiting for you to come home so they can hold you in their arms and try their hardest to never let go. Trust me, it'll take four days for your twins to so much as remove themselves from your hips!" She chuckled that last part, her face so close to mine, that, despite how it was fading, I could still see the mirth in her eyes, the fang baring smile, and the look of absolute faith.

I glanced off to the side at Aurora and shifted nervously, before leaning closer to Granny. "Were you ever… scared… of what you saw…?"

"Ier, fear is something perfectly natural, and a defense of ourselves in body, mind and soul. At times in my life I have been terrified of every flicker in my peripheral, when at any moment my sister could lunge and end me with the snap of my neck. But, in all the time I have existed, alive and dead, I have learned to use my fear, to aid me, it can also be used as a weapon, as shown by that comic book character… Batman correct?"

"You've heard of Batman?" I ended up snorting a bit at her. That wasn't exactly what I was expecting but… "Yeah I think you have it right."

Granny chuckled. "When you watch over the dead, you get used to their wild stories and their desire to tell them so not to be bored senseless." She admitted. "So, do you want to go home? Both I and Aurora here believe you are ready. But again, it is your choice."

"I do but… I feel like I need to face it, otherwise I'll never be able to face anything at all." It was hard to put into words what I was feeling. That was the best I could come up with at the moment. But then again… she did say that this place was worse than anywhere else… They effectively threw me into the deep end right off the bat. So if I went back… would it really be a testament to my weakness? Ugh… I wanted Opi right about now… "I want Opi…"

"That is all the answer I need." Granny responded, turning to the open courtyard before seeming to concentrate on something, Aurora grabbed me and pulled me back a few steps, just as a flicker of black appeared in the middle of the large courtyard, before exploding outwards into a swirling black vortex which looked really more like a Black hole, and was quickly sucking every loose thing into it.

Yup, Blackhole.

Well shit.

Aurora patted my shoulder and gave me an oddly happy smile despite the swirling vortex. "It'll feel a bit funny the first time, but that's what happens with all giant vortexes across vast distances!" She yelled, having to over the roar of the black swirling monstrosity in front of us, she'd apparently caught on to my distress at the realization of what this thing was a miniature version of.

"Let me get this straight! You want me to jump into a black hole?! Are you fucking insane?!" I yelled. Oddly enough I didn't feel like I was being pulled into it…

Aurora actually chuckled. "I had the same reaction first time! If I could shit I would of! Now come on! Aunty can't hold it up forever!" She declared, before giving a light tug on my arm, trying to pull me towards it, I took note of the fact that Granny had little to nothing left of her solid, and was beginning to get closer and closer to the ground, now on one knee to keep her up.

Awww fuck it! I said screw it and jumped into the swirling mass and prayed that I wasn't going to end up dead somehow.

I heard a whoop behind me and a squawk from Harp, who I guess had been on Aurora's wing bases for old times sake or something.

Not a moment after I heard it, there was a flash, then nothing.

* * *

**(Washington DC)**

When I came to it was at the moment we were both hurled out of a gaping hole in the sky… over a large white building that looked vaguely familiar… THE WHITE HOUSE?!

I didn't even have time to scream before I slammed face first into the ground and ripped up grass and dirt as I skidded a good distance, coming to a stop after a moment or so. Ow...

Aurora, wasn't so lucky.

When I looked up all I could see were her head and torso stuck in the roof of the room above the Oval office. It wasn't exactly a dignified pose with her aft and tail sticking up in the air like that.

There was a good deal of screaming too as Aurora managed to get herself free from her hole through the roof of the White house, mostly from the tourists and men in black, the later of which were quickly surrounding us and loading their weapons. Oh shit… Wait could those even hurt us at all? And why was that the first thought I had?

I shook the thought off and scrambled up from the ground, jumping over all the humans present and landing next to her. "What now?! And if I get shot will it hurt at all?"

"Well, run like crazy and try not to add squishing humans to the damage to Earth? Although I will admit, that's already been something on my list of activities on Earth for a long, long time." She chuckled, before grabbing my arm and bolting, forcing me to try and keep pace as she leapt over the walls of the White house courtyard and bolted down the street.

Ok so bolt, run, try not to squish people! Got it! The last one was really freaking hard actually because my feet… peds were so much bigger than I was used to, and they kept trying to run and ended up getting right in the way! "Why don't we fly?!"

She shrugged and then spread her wings, and together we took to the air and got as far from the area as possible. Well we weren't exactly inconspicuous so… maybe we should change shape when we got a chance and hide?

She seemed to catch onto my thoughts, Harp jettisoning from her back as she she suddenly spun and transformed, her body reforming into a large Hawk before banking a hard right towards the Smithsonian Museum. Harp was quick to follow, shifting into what I guessed was her organic Harpigornis form.

I quickly followed suit and transformed into a hawk as well, for lack of another idea on the fly and went after them, landing next to Harp, who for once towered over both of us, on a large tree branch.

Aurora shook herself, puffing up her feathers before clicking her beak and chuckling. "Well, good thing Obama wasn't home, although, last time I did that, there wasn't a secret service to worry about having my name put down as a number one priority!" She joked.

"Well that's good I guess." I sighed and tried not to feel weird since I'd never transformed into a hawk before. Well I'd only ever transformed into my Cybertronian or Titan forms. So this was a first for me, but at least it'd come easily. "So… why are we at the Smithsonian Museum?"

"I felt like visiting it. And we could pretend we're stuffed animals until the panic dies down!" Why was she suddenly in such a good mood?

Harp nudged my side. "It's the impact, it's rattled her head a bit, she'll be back to normal in a few hours. Mind you she's also suffering from a concussion so it's also affecting her."

"Weeeeeeeeee!" And now she was using her claws to swing round and around on the branch like a bloody gymnast.

"Would you like to take point?" Harp asked, reaching over with her wing and wrapping around Aurora to still her. "Daughter, steady, let your mind recalibrate, I know that impact knocked a few screws loose but we must focus and get somewhere out of sight."

"Yes momma!"

I shook my head and flitted down from the tree, hiding behind it so that I could shift into a human form. It felt weird to feel my hair suddenly falling against my back, just as long as it used to be. I looked down at myself, after forming something suitable to wear, and everything seemed the same. Once I was set, I looked up and waved them down.

Harp lead Aurora down before shifting into her human form, and I was surprised, she looked like an old lady sure, but the figure of an athlete mixed in with it. She was a little hunched, but alright, she even had a cane to add to the effect, with an eagles head on the top, fitting.

Aurora, seeing herself as the last one out, shifted, reforming as a… blonde in an orange dress?

"Wrong form dear, you're not out to kill someone. Hopefully."

Should I be concerned about that?

Aurora huffed and pouted before forming again, this time with long black waving locks, blue tipped, and wearing a simple sports shirt and knee length shorts and those leather strap sandals. "Mean."

"Well, at least you didn't shift into your politician form first."

"And why can I not be Rosaline thine mother?!" She exclaimed, oddly with a Shakespearian accent.

Something was really knocked loose in her head. "Alright how about we just go into the museum and not debate like characters from a Shakespeare play?" I grabbed her hand and tugged her into the museum after me.

"Why can I not speak the tone of which I spoke during the Elizabethan and Stuart era!? My! I've gone back in time! And I didn't even need a light!"

"Because you're drawing attention to us. Stop." Too late, people were already staring at her like she was a freak.

Harp just rubbed the bridge of her nose between two fingers. "Granddaughter, I understand you just hit you head on that lamppost, but please try and maintain some decorum and not go ranting about your Drama project like that."

Before she could open her mouth and start running it again I slapped my hand over it and gave her a look. As amusing as it was, we had things to focus on and to be honest I wanted to get home as soon as possible. "Just behave and we'll go look at whatever you want…"

"Bowhead whale! Oh the Hope Diamond's apparently here too! Oh and a giant Elephant… eh, seen bigger, oh there's a human exhibit of their history! Wonder if they have the race I set fire to when I first landed here? You remember that mum? That was how we first met!"

Just don't ask questions… Don't ask any questions… Why we were wandering around inside a museum instead of calling someone to come get us? Oh right, because I didn't have money, Aurora was acting high as a kite… and Harp… well she might have some money. "Hey Harp?"

She glanced at me. "Yes?"

"Got a quarter or maybe a couple?"

She nodded. "Thinking of calling someone?"

"Yeah Lennox. Now that we're disguised I figured we could call for a pickup. But I don't have any money."

We stopped, while Aurora ran over to look at the exhibit she wanted to see. Harp reached into her pocket and pulled out a small change purse, don't ask me why she had it, and she pulled a handful of quarters out and handed them to me, I took a quick peek at the inside of her purse, and quickly realised it must of been the equivalent of her subspace, so many different coins, weird, didn't peg Harp as a coin collector. "Hurry up please. Aurora is going to be a handful until she settles."

I nodded and quickly ran over to a payphone, popping a quarter in and dialing Lennox's number. It rang a few times before his familiar, and very welcome voice picked up. "Major William Lennox here."

"Lennox! Oh thank fuck! It's me Clare!"

"Clare? How the hell are you calling me? Where are you calling me from?"

"I'm at the Smithsonian Museum! Look, I know that you probably got called out when we uh… crashed into the White House… so you know I'm not fucking around. We really need a pick up! Can you send one of the bots?"

There was a moment where all I could hear was murmuring, probably him talking to one of the bots or soldiers. Then he came back. "Yeah, we're on our way to the White House now. I just commed Boss Bot and he's sending someone to get you. Just hang tight ok?"

"Yeah thanks Lenny! Also, thanks for believing me! I swear to shit I'm about to blow a gasket! My cousin put a hole through the roof of the White house and now she's pretty much off her rocker and will be until her head gets back to normal."

He chuckled. "Well I might not have believed you if I hadn't met your Grandma. Well that, and the bots have been going on and on, and on some more, about your return. Trust me I was confused but I'm only human so what do I know about anything?"

I sighed and chuckled a bit. "Yeah true. Well thanks Lennox. I'll see you and Epps when you get back. I've gotta go now! Tell them we're at the Bowhead whale exhibit! Bye!"

I hung up before he could say anything else, and made my way over to watch as Aurora gave poor Harp a run for her money by climbing all over the exhibit, how did she even get up there? Instead of trying to help her keep my overexcited cousin from raising hell, I leaned against the wall and waited for a familiar face to appear. Luckily the museum was mostly empty at the moment anyways.

It didn't take long either…

Not for four familiar holoforms to come sprinting around the corner, all looking around until their bright, electric blue eyes landed on me. I felt my chest tighten as I pushed off of the wall and took a few shaky steps towards them. It felt like years since I last saw them…

Harp seemed to take note of their appearance, giving Aurora just enough time to somehow perch herself in the mouth of the Whale exhibit. "HEYO! I BROUGHT THINE DAUGHTER OF THINE GOD!"

"Aurora!" Harp and I sighed in exasperation. "Would you just enjoy your whale exhibit and shush?!" I shook my head at her and turned back, only to jump in surprise when a broad chest was like an inch from my face. I stumbled and almost fell on my ass, before the familiar golden haired holoform grabbed my arm and pulled me the other way, and thus I ended up crashing into his chest and getting hugged senseless.

"Yay! Lovebirds reunited! Oh, they have a heart in here! Now that's detail!" Harp just let off an exasperated groan and gave up, there really was nothing to be done about my cousin until she recovered from her hit to the head.

I ignored her for the most part, since I was more focused on the warmth radiating off of Sunny, and Sides who had boxed me in. After a moment he tugged my chin up and pressed his lips against mine in a fierce, desperate kiss.

When he pulled back it was only to growl at me. "Don't you ever fragging die again! Do you hear me?" Sunny hissed between clenched teeth as they both held me. I could feel they were shaking, but I wasn't much better as I wrapped my arms around him.

"Trust me, it's a lot harder to do that now." I tried to joke but I wasn't really into it. Honestly, almost losing them had shaken me up too. But before I could contemplate it, Sides all but yanked me away from his twin and slammed his lips onto mine, ripping a startled squeak from me because I wasn't expecting it right at that moment.

He pulled away and smiled warmly at me. "If you ever get shot again I'm gonna spank you."

I snorted. "Really?"

"Yes really. You have no idea how much we all missed you."

As if some silent que had been given, Sides was suddenly shoved aside by Opi, who practically tackled me down to the floor and hugged me senseless. "Sweetlin'! Ah missed ya so much!" He literally hugged me so tight that I almost couldn't breathe!

I felt something in my chest, it took me a moment to realize it was the bond I was feeling. Almost as if it'd never been gone at all, and I could feel the emotions of my adoptive creators even more strongly than before.

The sense of relief and happiness was so strong it almost made me feel drugged. They really missed me that much?

Opi pulled back and smiled at me, allowing me to clearly see Dad's holoform hovering. "How coul' we no' miss our lil sparklin'?"

I shrugged and sat up, taking the hand Dad offered so he could pull me up and I ended up being pulled into another hug, nearly being crushed by his muscular arms. Once again, I could not breathe… "Dad… I… can't… breathe… Human form… breakable…" I wheezed.

Luckily he pulled back before he crushed me, cupping my cheeks and staring down at me with the warmest expression I'd ever seen on his face before. "You had Jazz and I worried beyond belief Clare! Don't you ever do something that foolish again!"

"Gonna lecture me already? I've been with you for all of five kliks!" I joked.

"Oh I fully plan to give you such an audio full that you'll be hearing it echo for quartexes… But we can do that later. For now I think we should get you back to base. We all have a lot to catch up on don't we?"

"Yeah we do." But first… I turned to make my way over to Harp, who was standing in front of the mouth of the whale exhibit. "She's in the fucking whale isn't she?"

She turned to look at me. "Yes I'm afraid so."

First things first…

I had to climb into this and drag her ass out of it…

Real comforting how I could hear her singing something from inside its' stomach…

"Put him in the bed with the Captain's daughter! Put him in the bed with the Captain's daughter! Early in the moooorrrrrrnnnninnng!"

I shook my head and climbed in after her.

Another thing off the list of weird shit I'd done lately…

* * *

R&amp;R! Ok so, I know lots of readers are confused but I promise everything in the chapters does have something to do with the Cybertronians and the reason for the war and all. Basically the things that have been spoken of, and shown, were events that show how Unicron and Primus were shaped to be who they are, and what they stand for on a more personal level. For Unicron (We'll call him Uras for short), being on the top of the food chain respectively, made him a ruthless and cold being. Whereas Praxi was raised on the opposite end of the spectrum, by someone that stood against what Gia did. So that's that. Ask questions if you want to. It'd be easier that way.


	42. ANOTHER AN! IMPORTANT! PLEASE READ!

Hey guys, this is a very important Author's note so please read it all if you would. I've got some pressing issues with this story, and not just that but Clare as well. For a long while now I've been struggling with a lot of things, both in real life and pertaining to this story. I'll just stick to the story and spare you a sob story that I don't feel like imparting and I know you don't want to hear. Maybe I should start at the beginning with Clare's creation? When I created Clare it was during a dark time in my life, that's still persisting to this day, yet I can't seem to shake. But, when I made her it was with the intention of having something to make me laugh, smile, and clear up the pain that seems to cling to me no matter what I do. And she's done a good job of that, until the last few months when it seemed as if something about her has changed. I stopped laughing when she did something funny, or said something that was so like her, then from there I slowly looked forward to writing her less and less, and now that desire is all but nonexistent. It feels like she's… nothing special, like she's a burden to me because I can't seem to love her the way I used to. She's stopped serving her purpose, but for some reason I keep clinging to her and I can't seem to let her go. For people who don't get attached to their OC's I imagine it's very difficult to understand, but for me she's a part of me. She represents my hope, as cliché as that may sound to some of you, and I just want to stop this endless cycle that I've fallen into with her. I want to laugh about an idea I've had for her, or even just come up with something altogether. That'd be great! But I can't seem to, and as the story continues now I don't know if I will. I like the story line, but to be honest it was a way for me to try saving some love for her, and to try making her as unique as she once was. That's sadly, something that I haven't felt she is in a long time. So, I really need your guys' help! I need an opinion on what I should do! Should I continue SO? Keep it as it is now and go with the story line I had planned? If that's what you guys want I'll do it, as hard as it is. Or would you guys like to see something different? Maybe a little more conventional, but still unique in its' own way? I've been brainstorming ideas, though I'm not sure Clare will ever be as loved as she once was, I still want to try. For everyone who actually like her and enjoys what, and who she is. So what do you all think? I have some ideas and I want to list them below, along with some changes that I want you all to give me honest opinions on ok? Please guys, help me because this is really important to me. T.T

**(Possible list of changes)**

***Show a bit of Clare/Ascella's early life on Cybertron? Maybe give some insight into her background and her carrier?**

***Have her meet her adoptive creators earlier on in her life and actually receive formal training in time to be useful during the course of the story?**

***Change her adoptive creators? Or keep them Jazz and Prowl? **

***Actually show her going on missions? Do you want to see her doing things of actual importance?**

***Change her function to Saboteur/Infiltration/Possible assassin? **

***Change her frame type? Make her taller? More imposing somehow? Do you guys like her as a grounder? Or would you like to see her as a flier?**

***Keep her shipped with the twins? Or change it up? Possibly Bee, Dreadwing/Skyquake, etc…**

***Do you want to see her still be close to Sam and Mikeala? Or cut them out and just make them acquaintances that she knows through the course of the movies?**

***Do you guys want her Sire to stay the same? Or do you want me to make Stealthraid her actual Sire? **

***Keep the healing ability? Or give her more conventional ones for Cybertronians? I have a few ideas!**

***Change her personality at all? (I don't really want to change her much, but I think I may have to in order to make her a better OC) Maybe make her more confident in her abilities and who she is? Or do you like that air of uncertainty that she has to her?**

***Keep Bob or give her a new pet?**

***Would you perhaps like to see a blood relative from her past that actually serves as a positive influence?**

***Would you still like to see her become a Prime? Or do you feel that is too cliché? I do have some ideas that would make it unique.**

***What size range would you like her to be at? **

**-10-12 feet**

**-12-16 feet**

**-16-18 feet**

If you guys can give me honest opinions on what you would like to see that would really help me a lot. I'm completely lost and I feel like no matter what I do I'm failing with Ascella. I feel like she's lost, and I really need help finding a way to make her the amazing character she used to be. Please message me and let me know what you guys think! Any advice will help!


	43. POLL FOR THE NEW REWRITE! PLEASE VIEW!

Ok so I'm in the process of completely rewriting this, changing plot, and going back to a more cyber-conventional plot line. But I need to know if you guys would prefer the story to be written solely in 3rd person POV, or whether you're like 1st, or mixing the two when needed? Please view the poll I'm about to put up and help me out here guys! I should hopefully have the pilot chapter out within the next few days or so!


	44. ANOTHER AN!

Ok so here's another AN for the new rewrite of SO/WTWTCH. I need to know whether you guys want to see her memories in flashbacks, or have me start with her on Cybertron, growing up and such? Or would you like me to start with her on Earth so you can see what she was doing during the 106 years she was active there? Or show that in flashbacks and such? I was writing a pilot chapter, but I think it's starting out too much like the last story did in its' own way, and I wanted to know if you guys wanted to see that added in? So do let me know so I can get writing again! I hope to get some more inspiration and such!

-Autobot-Metallah24


	45. Chapter 45

So I've been working on the rewrite of SO and WTWTCH for like two months now and no matter what approach I take it just seems like my efforts are crap at best. Idk what approach to take with this story. Part of me wants to do a few chapters on Ascella's backstory, not really giving many answers but just some bits and pieces that will be explained later. Another part wants me to just jump into the movie. I've written two different versions and I just don't know which way I should go. I'm not sure that I have the talent to pull off this idea in my head. Honestly, I'm not sure whether I should keep writing this or not.


	46. Chapter 46

AN! I should start off by saying that I most likely won't be continuing these stories but I'm putting them back up so you all can read them! If I move to another account I may repost the newer, edited version on there. If I do I will let you know! At this point I don't know if I can keep posting things for my characters because I feel like any changes I make aren't worth it, or will just be used by other people at their own discretion. For about a year I've struggled to write, something that has bothered me a lot since writing has always been so therapeutic for me. It's like I've lost an important outlet for everything that's gone wrong in life, and that's really stressful. So I may start over, move to another account that I've made. If I do I will be posting OC/Canon stories still, but my OC's also have OC mates as well so I'll be posting things for those as well. If anyone wants to knw my new account let me know!


	47. Chapter 47

An update to everyone that followed me on this account, I've moved over to a new account called Echoshock24. I've already posted the first bit of the rewrite of SO/WTWTCH on there. It's title is Duality, and I like to think it's an improvement from what I was writing when I first started it. There's a better plot to it, and I'm putting a lot of time in to typing each chapter. I won't have daily updates which I apologize for! But I'm hoping to make up for it in quality! If you guys want to follow me on there please do so! Let me know how you like my new writing style. Idk if it's really changed that much but to me it really feels like it has.

Thanks for taking the time to read this!


End file.
